


It Must Have Been the Mistletoe

by LauraRoslinForever



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Christmas Kabby, F/M, Fluff, Kabby, SO MUCH FLUFF, all the tropes im trash for in one fic, merry christmas kabby fam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-18 07:41:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16990833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LauraRoslinForever/pseuds/LauraRoslinForever
Summary: It all seemed like such an easy lie when he told his mother he was seeing someone. She lived hundreds of miles away, after all, and it wasn't like he wouldn't meet someone eventually. But now there's a problem. Marcus Kane's mother has just shown up unexpectedly for Christmas and the only one he can turn to is his secretary; the incredibly beautiful, kind and accomplished Abby Griffin, who agrees to help him. They'll just pretend to be a couple and after Christmas, things will go back to normal. What could possibly go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, Kabby fam! Here is my new little story I promised for what I'm calling my 12 Days of Kabby Christmas. One chapter a day with the final chapter and a bonus one-shot on Christmas day. I hope you all enjoy this little story where I try to include all the fluffy tropes I'm trash for. And don't forget to let me know what you think! Happy Christmas everyone.

It was the middle of December and snow had just begun to fall in New York City. The already fast pace of footsteps quickened even more as natives made their way down the cold, bustling city streets. What started as gently falling flakes, that made their way from the heavens, were now a steady falling hazy blur. Marcus Kane pulled the lapels of his coat up higher around his neck and jogged the last few dozen steps into the entrance of his midtown building.

_His_ building.

As CEO of KaneMedia Group, he was pretty proud to call it his. Taking his little company of one and becoming number four on the list of the twenty most influential independent marketing firms in Manhattan. No longer was he just one man sitting in a coffee shop with a MacBook Pro and one big client. He was now the overseer of thirty staff members of entrepreneurs, artists, analysts, and developers with degrees in fine arts, psychology, and business. All of them juggling multiple projects that included all media, from traditional to digital social, video production, customized mobile apps, and website management.

Sure they were what some might call small, but they were still growing and next year he planned to be number one on that list.

Thelonious Jaha may have held the spot two years in a row, but Marcus would be damned if he would again. At least not if he had anything to say about it.

The blast of heat that hit him as he stepped inside was a welcoming warmth but it was the sight of his secretary holding a cup of coffee that made his shoulders fall and exhale a grateful sigh.

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” he told her, and she arched a brow at him. Abigail Griffin was 5 foot and 4 inches of attitude, with long honey-colored hair that was usually pulled back into a ponytail or a braid over her shoulder. She came recommended to him a year and a half ago by his best developer Raven Reyes when his last secretary quit unexpectedly on him.

He had taken one look at her resume and raised his eyes at Raven who was waiting in front of his desk, arms crossed. The woman had been a goddamn doctor. Why the hell was a doctor applying for a job as his secretary, he wanted to know but Raven shrugged it off.

“How hard can it be?” Raven had scoffed. “All the last one did was answer your calls and get you coffee. Abby is punctual and one of the most organized people on this planet.” She said the last part with what he thought to be a tinge of personal annoyance like she had been on the receiving end of this special talent of Dr. Griffin. Just when he had opened his mouth to question her some more, she added, “And she just lost her husband.” Raven’s comment had been offhanded but her eyes had softened and his mouth closed. “Give the poor girl something to do than go back to a hospital full of memories.”

Well, shit. He couldn’t exactly say no to _that_.

He had called her ten minutes later and then hired her the very next day on a trial basis. Not because he didn’t think she could do the job, he was more than certain someone with her qualifications could pick it up easily, but because he was sure she’d be bored out of her mind within a week. She had agreed, and from that day on not only had she been there every morning waiting with his dark roast in hand, but she had also his day planned out, documents he needed at a moments notice, meetings scheduled, reminders set, hell she even made his appointments for his damn dental checkups.

And with all that, there were also times where she could be a monumental pain in the ass and though his comment had been meant as a tease, the truth was, he really wouldn’t know what he would do without her.

“Oh, I’m sure you’d manage,” she mused, handing him his coffee.

He watched her go, his eyes following her walk back to her desk. That was another thing about Abigail Griffin. She also has a habit of wearing tight pencil skirts and well, if his eyes happened to follow her walking away from time to time who could blame him really?  


* * *

Abigail Griffin took a seat at her desk and reached for her latte. She hummed along with the song currently playing on her Spotify playlist while she pulled up her messenger, Marcus’ schedule, and her usual to-do list that included everything and anything from booking trips, to ordering lunch, to making sure his dry cleaning would be ready to pick up at the end of the day.

While being a secretary wasn’t exactly what she had planned, she loved her job. Working for Marcus Kane kept her on her toes and her mind busy. The people who worked there were upbeat and damn good at what they did. Even though only a handful of them were her own age, Sinclaire and her boss being two of the five. She had thanked Raven more times than she could count in those first few months while she had been struggling with her grief. Raven had just smiled and told her it was the least she could do for saving her leg.

It had been almost two years ago since she lost her husband. They had been driving home from her parents. Jake had thought a road trip to Connecticut would be fun for them as a family and it had been. But an hour away from home, a semi driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. Their car had careened over a ravine. Abby woke to her daughter crying. She had a bad gash on her forehead and Abby did everything she could to save both Jake and Clarke but in the end, Jake’s wounds had been too extensive and she couldn’t save them both. He died at the hospital and her daughter spent three days in the ICU.

She quit her job the day she brought Clarke home.

Abby didn’t realize just how quickly the day had gone by until just before noon, she looked up at the sound of a voice and smiled at the sight of Raven Reyes smiling face.

The young girl leaned over the desk and glanced in the direction of Abby’s screen. “Hey Abby, is the bossman free?”

Abby smirked. “He’s on a conference call for another ten minutes then he should have another ten minutes free.” With a raise of her brow, she glanced at the posters in Raven’s hand and asked, “Why?”

It was her job to make sure Marcus stuck to his schedule and she knew Raven. When the girl got excited by something she could keep going for hours on end and with the holidays quickly approaching, as busy as they all were, as busy as _Marcus_ was, he simply didn’t have time for that today. Especially, if this was another one of Raven’s own projects as she suspected it was.

“Oh, I have the art for the new Madison account for him to take a look at.”

The young girl smiled big and wide, and Abby had the urge to roll her eyes at her but only shook her head. She could smile at her all she wanted, but all Abby was giving her was ten minutes, After that she would drag Raven from the room if she had to. She had her own time blocked out with Marcus, and Raven wasn’t taking the time away from her. “Take a seat and you can jump in as soon as it’s over.”

“Thanks,” Raven replied but instead of taking a seat, crossed her arms across the desk and propped her chin on top of them. “Are you coming to the Christmas party tomorrow?”

“I am,” Abby replied her attention back on the screen in front of her answering an email on that very subject. “Are you?”

“And miss the free booze?” Raven chuckled. “Not a chance. How’s Clarke?”

Abby smiled softly remembering her conversation with her daughter the previous night. “Having the time of her life with my mother in Switzerland.”

“Damn, that’s right. When did she leave?”

“Last week.”

Raven’s head fell to the side. “Christmas all alone, eh?”

Abby clicked and sent the email on its way back to the vendors then gave her attention back to Raven. “It’s not as bad as you’d think. I’m going to sleep in late, order takeout... catch up on some reading.”

“You’re right, that’s not as bad as I thought,” Raven said nodding with a look that was anything but approval, “but it sounds boring as hell.”

_To you maybe,_ Abby thought but didn’t say. The green light on the phone that told Abby Marcus was on the line went out. She glanced at Raven with a smile. “He’s off the call. Make it quick.”

Raven straightened up and slapped her hand down on the black marble. “Nice! Thanks, Abby!”

She started to get back to work but then smiled brightly at the mail carrier who came rushing inside towards her. His jacket and hat were dusted with snow, and the tip of his nose red as could be.

“Hey, Abby,” he said, handing her an armful of envelopes.

Abby stood and reached for them. About the same age as Clarke, Jasper was sweet and had just started his job around the same time Abby began working for Marcus. Bright and eager, he always had a smile for her and almost always came in with earbuds in his ears singing along to whatever song he had playing. “Jasper, how are you?”

“Good. Busy day.”

The mother and former doctor in her had her lips pulling down into a frown. “You need to zip up that jacket.”

Jasper chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, it’s not that bad when you’re running from place to place.”

He had a point, she supposed, but she wasn’t letting him leave so fast. “Hang on a minute.” She went around the corner to where the coffee pot was, still half full, poured him a cup and took one of the donuts leftover from the morning team meeting. “Here. This should help warm you and keep up that energy of yours.”

His eyes widened. “You’re my favorite. Thanks, Abby.”

Shaking her head, Abby shooed him off and took her seat. She began organizing the mail into priority piles but then, when she noticed one of the senders, she set them aside except for that one.

There, inside the envelope were two tickets. Abby smiled a triumphant little smile. Diana was able to get those tickets for her. A week ago, when she asked Marcus if she needed to do any Christmas shopping for him, he had mentioned his mother wanted to see the Nutcracker where she lived in Boston, but it had been completely sold out.

_“If you could work some of that magic you did when you got us tickets to Hamilton,” he had told her and she took it as a challenge._

However, this time, it was Diana who had come through for her. Abby was going to have to send her a gift.

Not that she would ever _tell_ Marcus how she got them because Diana was Thelonious Jaha’s secretary, and he and Marcus together were worse than rivalry schoolchildren. And if Marcus ever knew she occasionally spoke to Thelonious’ secretary whenever she needed a favor (that Diana was always too happy to provide because she and Abby were mature adults) well, she hoped that day would never come.

Opening her desk drawer, she took a Christmas card from the stack she had remaining. She picked a white card with a snowy background and beautiful winter cottage that looked like a Thomas Kinkade painting. Just as she finished writing _Merry Christmas_ inside the card, both Marcus and Raven stepped out of his office. The young girl caught Abby’s eye and winked before she took off, leaving Marcus standing there. He leaned against her desk and glanced down at the card with a curious look on his face.

She counted to three and smiled when he reached for the tickets. “What the-” He blinked down at her. “You were able to get them?”

She continued to smile, let a bit of her smugness show for getting tickets to a show that he found to be completely impossible. “I did. I just need you to sign the card and I’ll get them sent to her.”

He signed his name and began a little message, so she gazed away not being able to help the way her eyes rose and lingered on his face, on his warm eyes and down the slope of his nose, to his strong, bearded jaw. When she first met him he had been clean shaved, but one day he came in after a long weekend and he had that few days old stubble and she made a comment on how well he wore it.

He’d gone a bit pink at the tips of his ears and neck and made an offhand remark that he had his niece and nephew over the weekend and hadn’t had time to shave. But he must have taken her words to heart because he had grown out a lovely well-trimmed beard that she might have once or twice wondered what it might feel like underneath her fingers and between her thighs…

_Whoa, okay Abby,_ she thought and shook her head as though that might clear the images from her mind just in time as he looked back over at her, handing her the card.

Licking her lips, she managed to compose herself enough to ask, “Can I talk to you for a moment before your lunch gets here?”

He gave her a nod. “Sure.” He held out his arm for her to go in before him and she led the way into his office. “What can I do for you?” he asked her and they both came to a stop in front of his desk.

“February,” she said, simply.

He tilted his head to the side, brow furrowing. “I’m sorry?”

“Those two weeks I wanted off in May,” she began, _the ones you shot down,_ she thought bitterly. “I was looking at your schedule and February is the best time for-”

“February won’t work,” he interrupted with a shake of his head.

Abby narrowed her eyes at him. “Why not?”

“Because I need you here in February. With the convention at the end of the month, it’ll be chaos.”

She repressed the urge to roll her eyes. “Marcus, it’s not 1999. I can manage your schedule on my phone and iPad from the beach. I can even have your coffee and lunch waiting for you every day.”

“Abby, I don’t just need you here to manage my schedule and get my coffee. I need you here to help me make sure this place doesn’t fall apart.”’ He gazed down at her with those warm brown eyes and she let out a sigh at the feel of his hands on her arms, but then raised her chin up. No. She was not going to let herself be distracted by his eyes _or_ his hands.

“Hey, Kane, Indra is here,” a voice by the door called.

Abby closed her eyes a moment to force down her annoyance and when she opened them said, “She’s early. Tell her to have a seat. Their meeting isn’t until two.”

But of course, Marcus Kane did what Marcus Kane did best, said to hell with schedules and smirked down at her while calling out to Wick, “Send her in.” Abby’s jaw clenched even though his gaze softened. “Can we talk about this later?”

“Fine.” Turning on her heel, she marched out the door, passing an equally pissed off looking Indra,

That was the thing about Marcus Kane’s that absolutely drove her crazy. He _could_ manage without her, he just didn’t want to. And if he thought he was going to get out of talking about this he had another thing coming. Tomorrow at the Christmas party, and she’d corner him if she had to. Him and his infuriatingly handsome face.


	2. Chapter 2

Phone in hand, Marcus stared down at her number. He needed to get ready for the party, but he’d been trying to talk himself into calling Abby for the last hour.

There weren’t many things he ever let himself dwell on. He could dismiss just about anything with a bit of cold logic and rationality. So to say his list of regrets was a short one would be accurate. Taking that into consideration, he had one hell of a nagging voice in his head for the last day and a half and that voice belonged to Abigail Griffin.  

He’d been an ass about her request for time off and it bothered him.

In all the time she’d been working for him she hadn’t once asked for time off. She’d never been so much as late, hell she even stayed as late as he did. So why was he being such a goddamn stickler about it?

He knew why. In the back of his mind, he knew damn good and well why he didn’t want her to go. It was the same reason why he paid her more than any other secretary he had, the reason why her bonus was a bit on the extravagant side, and the reason why he had her get not one but three tickets to Hamilton. Though, he’d never put it into words. It was safer as an idea in the back of his mind because if he thought about the words he would start to think. All the _what if_ s would fill his mind and for a fraction of a second he would begin to believe he was actually worthy of Abby Griffin. That maybe it wouldn’t be so bad this time around.

Marcus scoffed at himself and tossed his phone behind him on the bed. Getting to his feet, he made his way into his bathroom where he turned on the shower to hot and undressed. He had hoped the steam would help clear his mind but there was no escaping her.

He would compromise with her. A week instead of two. Because two weeks, well there was an infinite amount of possibilities that could happen in two weeks. He knew that all too well from experience.

_She isn’t Callie, and you aren't together._ _  
_

Marcus groaned and tilted his face up into the spray.

Maybe if he stood there long enough, he could drown himself. 

* * *

The Christmas party was in full swing by the time Abby finally arrived, and she cursed herself for her own bad luck.

She’d had her hair and makeup done an hour before she needed to leave, but she’d been binge watching Project Runway (a show she never herself would consider watching but Clarke had been hooked and after a few episodes so was she.) and she hadn’t been really paying attention when, just after she slipped on her black dress, she spilled her coffee right down the front of her dress.

There was no way she would have time to wash it, and so she had stood in her underwear as she went through her wardrobe. Sure she could have worn her normal button up shirt and pencil skirt but she’d been looking forward to dressing up a bit more than usual.

Biting her bottom lip, she had pulled out a dress from the back. It was red and shorter than the last with a swooping neckline with the tags still on it. She bought it a year ago because it had been on sale and she thought she’d wear it out with Diana for drinks, but for whatever reason, she always had an excuse not to wear it.

“Well,” she had said, after slipping it on and grabbing a pair of red heels, “at least I’ll be festive.”

And, if the eyes all on her as she pushed the door open into work were correct, she certainly made an entrance.

“Abby?” She looked to see Raven riding on the back of Wick. She was wearing, what Abby could only assume in the dim light, a black leather dress and green Santa hat. “Damn, girl,” she called over the _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow_ playing in the background and hopped off of Wick, jogging somewhat unsteadily over to her. Abby shook her head. Was this a Christmas or a fraternity party? Raven came to a stop a few feet from her, giving her an appraising gaze. “Lookin’ nice.”

“Thank you.” She warmed at the compliment but cringed slightly when she removed her jacket and Raven whistled lowly. She handed her jacket to the doorman offering to take it for her. “I bought it a while ago,” she said pulling the hem of her dress down a bit, “but do you think it’s too short?”

Raven shook her head and gave her a look like she was crazy. “Hell no, you look hot.” Her eyes then flicked up and looked at something over her shoulder. A smirk pulled Raven’s lips up right before she asked, “Doesn’t she look hot, Boss?”

Abby turned and felt her face heat but, as much as she was probably blushing, it couldn’t have been nearly as much as Marcus was. His eyes glanced down quickly, and he reached up and scratched his neck. “Um, yes, she does, I mean… you look beautiful, Abby.”

“Thank you, Marcus.” She let her eyes take him in and he didn’t look so bad himself, wearing black slacks and a dark blue button up with a couple of buttons at the collar undone. She had to say she very much approved of this more relaxed look on him.

They stood there looking at one another, and Abby was well aware that Raven was standing between them looking back and forth not bothering to contain her grin.

After a moment, Marcus was the one to break the silence and asked her, “Do you want a drink?” He looked down between them and... was he smiling? “You always get mine. It’s the least I can do.”

She pursed her lips, wanting to ask if he had already started drinking, but didn’t want to spoil the mood. Whatever brought it on, she liked this softer side of Marcus Kane. “I’ll take a champagne cocktail.”

“Coming up.”

He went off, disappearing into the crowd and the next thing she knew Raven was in her line of sight. Her eyes wide as saucers. “Did the Bossman just make eyes at you?”

“What?” Abby laughed. “No, Raven, he most certainly did not. He’s just trying to be sweet. It’s Christmas.”

Raven scoffed. “He didn’t offer to get me a drink.”

Abby clicked her tongue, wanted to remind Raven that she, not so long ago, had a _bottle_ of wine in her hand but the girl was happy and hey, she kind of had a point.

But he had not made eyes at her. At least, she didn’t think he did.

She didn’t have long to dwell on it because Marcus returned not long later with a drink for her and him and they drank in companionable silence for a while. She would ask him about February later, she decided. Later, after a few more drinks, after some small talk.

Hours later they were still standing together. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was because they were the only two besides Sinclair their age but she and Marcus hardly left one another’s side the entire evening.

A few times throughout the night she had felt his hand on her back or arm when he wanted to get her attention. Each and every time she felt a shiver run down her spine and hoped to feel his hand again. And she had. Her heart leaped when he took her hand and brought them into a more quiet corner of the room.

There, they talked about how loud the music was, how much more everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves when they weren’t on their phones taking selfies or videos, and how they seemed to be the only two who hadn’t pulled their phones from their pockets.

She admitted she wasn’t as good as she probably should be at the whole social media thing, and she was sure he was about to tease her but his eyes looked past her and then widened right before he murmured, “Oh my God.”

The next thing she knew she was being steered bodily down the hallway, her drink nearly spilling all over her. “Marcus, what are you doing?”

“It’s my mother,” he told her and leaned over to peek around the corner. He swore and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s here.”

She chuckled. “Why is that such a bad thing and why are you hiding?” He took her by the shoulders and moved her so that if anyone would come around the corner they would see her back. But he was crazy if he thought _she_ was going to shield _him_ from anyone. “Marcus?”   
  
“Abby, I need your help. I need you to be my girlfriend.”

Her mouth fell open. Had she heard him right? “What?”

“I know it’s ridiculous and it’s embarrassing as hell to ask you but,” his words trailed off and she saw a flash of desperation in his eyes. “She’s always after me to find someone and so the last time she asked I told her that I did.”  
  
“You lied to your own _mother_?” she asked because she didn’t understand. She’d spoken to Vera last year around Christmas, and she always struck Abby as a perfectly lovely person. She could understand her just wanting her son to be happy.

“It was a small lie, and I thought I might...” he looked away from her gaze, and Abby found herself reaching out and putting her hand on his arm. “I thought I might find someone before I saw her again.” The thought of Marcus Kane going out on a date made her bite her lip to keep her smile from broadening. Something in her found this all really amusing, him asking her to be his pretend girlfriend. Her look must have conveyed her thoughts because he scowled at her, and asked, “What?”

She couldn’t hold back her smile anymore. He just looked so damn helpless. It was an adorable look on him. “Marcus, have you ever tried _dating_?”

He ran his hand through his hair blowing out a frustrated breath. “I had someone in mind I wanted to ask but I never...” Their eyes met and she found herself with an unwelcome feeling when she thought about him having someone other than her in mind. Which was ridiculous because he wasn’t hers. Still, maybe he should go out and ask whomever this other was to be his girlfriend, she thought not at all proud of herself for sounding like such a teenager about it. But her jealous thoughts were drowned out when he took her hand in between his. “Abby, I’m begging you. I’ll double your Christmas bonus. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Oh. Abby’s eyes widened.

Well, then.

“I want February,” she said. If she was going to do this for him, he was going to do _this_ for her.  “I want the beach and a blue ocean and no one to bother me while I do nothing but read for two weeks. I want Hawaii, Marcus, and you’re going to deal with it or you can handle this thing with your mother on your own."

“Done.”

She was startled at how fast he had agreed but then again, he didn’t have much time to barter. There was only so long before they were found. “Alright, I’ll do it. I can’t believe it but…” she sighed. “You better give me specifics and quick. How long has this been going on?”   
  
“We’ve been together a year,” he told her eyes flicking over her head.

“You’ve been lying to your mother for a year?” she hissed.

“Yes, I know, I’m pathetic and you can expound on that later but for now just go with it.”

He held out his hand for her and with a deep breath she held out hers letting him thread their fingers together. “Fine.”

She watched as he swallowed and together they stepped out of the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

With Abby’s hand in his, he led her over to where his mother was now looking around for him with Sinclair. He was nervous, so much more nervous than he needed to be, seeing as how Abby agreed to play a little part in this deception of his. Nervous and, thanks to the incredulous look Abby had given him, guilty as hell. 

He hadn’t intended to lie to his mother, but since Callie had called off their engagement, his mother had been after him to move on and find someone new, someone better for him. In all reality his and Callie’s relationship had been doomed from the beginning. He worked long hours, spent his weekends on his computer or the phone with his team, and even on their dates, when he put work away, his mind was always thinking, always coming up with new ideas. 

He had tried, but the relationship wasn’t working for them. Somewhere along the way, he lost her support. They had drifted apart, too far to find their way back, too many broken promises to want to try again. 

When he told his mother about the break up, he had tried to convey that to her but due to the nature of Callie’s departure, the betrayal hurt his mother deeper than it had hurt him. So from then on each and every call had its,  _ have you found yourself a nice girl? _ and suggestions of,  _ maybe if you went back to mass you’d find yourself someone from church?  _

It had been along the lines of one such suggestion, late one night after a grueling day with a meticulous set of clients that he had enough and it had just come out. 

_ “I have met someone, Mom,” he said and pinched the bridge of his nose while sinking into his chair, defeated. “She’s amazing. You’ll love her.” _

_ His mother had paused but quickly collected herself to say, “That’s wonderful, Marcus. Where did you meet her?” _

_ He had closed his eyes, wishing he would have just murmured his usual noncommittal response to her suggestions as it seemed he just opened up a new, enthusiastic line of questioning.  _

_ It was just then that Abby had come into his dimly lit office. She had stayed late, helping him put together a new portfolio for the client he would be meeting with in the morning. At some point during the evening, she had undone the braid that her hair had been in, letting the soft looking waves fall around her shoulders. He knew it was long, but she had never worn it down before, and his fingers had itched to tangle themselves in it, and more than once, he caught himself imagining if it was as soft as it looked.  _

_ But it wasn’t just her hair, that captivated Marcus. It was her everything and the reason why, with his eyes fixed on her, that he replied, “At work.” _

_ “Oh, how wonderful,” his mother had said. The happiness in her tone was not lost on him as he watched Abby drop the finished set of folders, for each of the clients to go through, on his desk.  _

_ She arched a brow, gave him a smirk before taking his still half full cup of coffee from him. “You know you’ll never sleep if you keep drinking this.” She walked out of his office and he frowned after her even though he knew damn well she was right. _

_ "What’s her name, Marcus?” _

_ “Abby.” _

_ His head fell into his hand. He had known right then and there he was a hopeless, lonely bastard who had gone and fallen for his secretary. _

His mind came back to the present, still not understanding why his mother was there. She was supposed to be spending Christmas with his sister and brother-in-law. What she was doing there of all places, and how she knew about the party, was beyond him.

Then again, finding him at work wouldn’t be that much of a stretch.

“Marcus!”

His mother’s face lit up seeing him from across the room and when he neared, feigning surprise, he widened his eyes with a dramatic flare. “Mom? I thought you were going to Aurora's this year?”

She pulled him into an embrace, and he let go of Abby’s hand to hug her, not missing the look and raised eyebrow Sinclair shot at him. 

“I was,” she said, “but then she and Octavia came down with the flu so I thought why not surprise you?”

He stepped back and retook Abby’s hand. “I wish you would have told me but I’m glad you came.”   
  
His mother’s eyes glanced from him to Abby. Her smile widening at them both. “Is this Ab-?”

But before she could say any more, he cut her off, jumping in and introducing, “Yes, Mom, this is Abby. Abby this is my mother, Vera.”

Vera Kane had always been one of those mothers who hadn’t had a problem pulling his friends into a motherly hug or putting a hand on someone’s back in comfort, so when she reached out and took Abby’s in an embrace, it didn’t surprise Marcus in the least. “Abby, Marcus has told me so much about you.”

Marcus nearly groaned aloud. The implication in his mother’s simple statement said a lot more than he would have liked. He hoped to God Abby didn’t pick up on that, but he chanced a glance at her and found she was already looking at him with a curious stare, and yeah, she hadn’t missed that. 

“He’s told me a lot about you, too,” Abby replied, nothing but care and warmth in her tone.

Marcus’ eyes scanned the room that was still in full swing. As fun as this could be with everyone around who knew he and Abby weren’t together, it was time for them to go. Especially before Raven Reyes bumped into them again. “You came just in time, I was just about to go. Why don’t we go back to my place so you can rest from your trip?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I had a bit of a nap on the plane,” she dismissed. Then with a bright smile, looked up at him and asked, “I was hoping we could go grab some dinner at the place you took me the last time I was here?”

Thankful for small favors, he let out a breath. Dinner he could do. “Of course.” 

“Abby, dear,” his mom said her gaze dropping to her, “you’re coming too, won’t you? I’ve so been looking forward to getting to know you.”

“I uh...” she began, hesitantly.

The look Abby gave him gave him pause. It was a look like she didn’t think she would be welcome, and even if he hadn’t got them in this situation, that was the last thing he wanted her to think. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he smiled. “Sure, she’s coming. I don’t go anywhere without her.” She rolled her eyes, and the exasperated smile that followed would have made him laugh if the situation he’d landed them in hadn’t been so serious. “Let me just get our coats,” he said.

He paused in the hall and took a breath.  _ It’s just dinner, _ he told himself. What could go wrong? With his and Abby’s coat in hand, he smiled. “Alright ladies, ready?”

After helping Abby with her coat, he held the door open and they made their way down the hall and into the elevator. Abby stepped close and took his hand. The reassuring squeeze made him look down at her and the warm gaze in her brown eyes made him think that maybe all of this wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

* * *

Nyko’s Italian Restaurant was a small establishment situated two blocks from Times Square. When Marcus had asked her if she’d ever been there before, she had shaken her head and he explained it was one of those hole-in-the-wall places you’d only know about if you were from the city or if you Googled Manhattan's best-kept secrets. She had been stunned to find, while she’d been in New York since she married Jake, nearly twenty years, and she’d walked by it more times than she could count and never noticed it. 

He had taken his mother there a few years back along with his sister, brother-in-law, and their kids. Vera had loved the old Italian charm so much, she and Marcus had gone the next day just the two of them, she told Abby from the backseat where she had insisted on sitting. 

Inside, the restaurant gave off an immediate warmth and charm, making her understand why Vera wanted to come. An aria played softly in the background, all the tables were draped with white linen cloths, paintings decorated the walls, each depicting varying landscapes and abstracts. 

They were shown to a table in the back. The host pulled out a chair for his mother, and Abby smiled when Marcus did the same for her. She thanked him and tried to keep her eyes from lingering as he took his own seat.

_ Was this what it was like to date Marcus Kane? _

In the year and a half she worked for him, she could only count on one hand the number of times they’d eaten together. Only once had it ever been outside of work where it felt like it could have been a date. Of course, her daughter had been with them and he had been late so he had only ordered an appetizer so that they wouldn’t be late to the play. The rest of the times had been in his office on nights when he had been working late on one project or another and only because he had insisted.

It wasn’t like she minded. After they all had gone out to see Hamilton, she found she actually enjoyed spending time with him. And Clarke got along well with him. The two of them discussed ads and she gave her opinions of what she thought was lame and he, in turn, did the same. Abby had suppressed her amusement when all the ads he happened to find  _ lame  _ just happened to be ones from other agencies and never any of his.

She was pleased when their night with his mother held the same kind of ease as their night with Clarke. Small talk came easy for them between bites. She almost thought they’d made good friends outside of work. Under his professional exterior, he had a certain charm about him. He was handsome and had a great sense of humor when you got to really know him. She thought about that sometimes when they talked at work and would wonder why he was still single. But then he would stay longer than everyone else, sometimes into the late evening, and she was reminded that he practically lived at work, and she with him. 

Sitting there at dinner with him, suddenly it really didn’t surprise her that it was her name that had slipped from his lips.

She supposed she was the closest thing to a relationship he had, and, in a way, he was for her too. 

What a sad pair they made.  

“So Abby... now is it Abby or Abigail?”

She smiled across the table at Vera. “It’s Abigail but only my mother calls me that.”

“Oh, would you mind if I did too? It’s such a beautiful name.” Vera asked.

“Please do.”

“So, tell me a little bit about yourself,” Vera said, sitting straight up and folding her hands together in front of her. 

Abby chuckled and glanced over at Marcus. She felt a little bit like she was at a job interview she hadn’t applied or, under Vera’s gaze, was still a determination of whether she was qualified for. She started with the basics. Something easy. “Well, I grew up in northern California and I’m an only child.”

“Which will explain so much about her as you get to know her,” Marcus chimed, with a crooked smile. 

She tipped her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him. “You shush.” With her gaze back on his mother, she ignored his soft chuckle and went on, “I have a daughter, Clarke, she’s seventeen and spending this Christmas with her grandmother.”

“And her father?”

It was an innocent question, a fair one as the woman supposedly dating her son, but still, though I’d been years now it still made her swallow hard. “Her father was killed in a car crash a couple years ago.”

Vera’s face fell. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” 

“Thank you.” Wanting to lift the mood back to where it’d been instead of on her tragic past, she reached over and placed her hand on top of Marcus’. “Your son here has been great. Giving me a job and putting up with me while I got through it all.” 

He threaded their fingers together and she looked over smiling and feeling happy at the way his head tipped down, his gaze on the table, his cheeks slightly pink, and his smile adorably embarrassed by the unexpected praise. 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Vera said, the way she looked between them, she too was obviously pleased.

“I may have given her a job, but truthfully, since the day she walked through the door the place hasn’t been the same.” Marcus’ gaze had lifted, and his thumb caressed the back of her hand gently as he spoke. “I don’t have to worry about a thing because I know she has everything under control. There isn’t anyone else I’d rather have beside me.”

She was sure her cheeks were red as could be because she could feel the heat in them. He had told her over the last year how much he valued her but the open affection in his voice and eyes made the sentiment mean something more. 

For the rest of the night, Marcus was able to save her from more questions. He asked his mother about how things were at home, and she had been all too happy to tell Abby about her children and grandchildren, how it was raising Marcus and his sister in Boston, and her life there now that they were gone. His mother was kind and caring and it was obvious how much she loved her family.

Glancing over at Marcus, she thought if she had to play this part over Christmas to give Vera a sense of hope that her son was loved, it wouldn’t really be the hardest thing in the world.

Certainly not if he kept looking at her like he had been.

When they all finished, they made their way outside. It struck Abby, while they waited for Marcus’ car, they hadn’t talked about living arrangements. After a year together most couples generally had some sort of routine if they weren’t already living together. And most couples  _ definitely  _ knew where the other lived. 

“Marcus, why don’t I just catch a cab,” she said trying to sound casual. “So you won’t have to drive me all the way to Chelsea.”

“You don’t have to go home on account of me,” Vera began. “I understand times are changing.”

But Marcus’ eyes held hers, and he replied, “Uh, Mom, Abby only stays with me on the weekends.”

His mother’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

Abby nodded though her heart began to pound in her chest. He did realize tomorrow was Friday and he just as good as sealed their fate, right? “That’s right. Clarke normally has school during the weekdays and besides, I’m sure you’ll want to some time together tonight.”

“Well, then I’ll look forward to chatting your ear off this weekend,” she said, brightly pulling her into another hug. “And Marcus can cook for us.”

“I look forward to it,” she said trying not to think about what it would be like spending the night in bed with Marcus Kane. 

He hailed her a cab, and slipped her a bill that was more than enough to cover her fare that she tried to refuse but he wouldn’t have it. When he opened the door for her she did something that she hadn’t planned.  Rising up on her toes, she kissed him on the cheek. Looking back, she would think if she’d had hit him over the head with her purse he would have looked less surprised than he did in that moment. 

She smiled one last time at Vera then to Marcus, murmured, “Goodnight, honey.”


	4. Chapter 4

Marcus got into work the next morning a little after six am. Try as he might, he hadn’t been able to sleep much. He tossed and turned, sleeping for short increments then waking and looking over at the clock to see only ten, sometimes twenty minutes had gone by. When he woke the last time, at just after four, he thought to hell with it and got up. He went into his kitchen and made a pot of coffee knowing his mother, who was an early riser, would appreciate some as well. He shook his head taking his cup back to his bedroom with him to get ready for the day.

He still couldn't believe his mother had bought everything, hadn’t suspected a thing out of place. He wasn’t sure what bothered him more. That they pulled it off so well or that it had been so easy to pretend.

Despite the two cups of coffee he had at home, the little sleep left him with a headache but the sound of a pair of heels on the floor an hour after he arrived, gave him a slight reprieve from the throbbing in his head. 

“The weekends, huh?” Her voice was low and soft and about the only thing he could tolerate this early in the morning with his head the way it was feeling. Then came a soft, distinct  _ thunk _ and he gazed over to see her set a cup of coffee beside him. It was from Starbucks, his usual dark roast but in the espresso box he noticed there was a  _ 1\.  _ She had a shot added. 

God, he loved her. 

He smiled softly at her from where he’d been slouched in front of his computer before gathering the energy to sit up. “Sorry about that.” Her eyes gazed into his and he looked away at how amused she actually looked. 

“So does this mean I should pack a bag for a sleepover?”

Letting out a low groan, he closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips into them. Her causal air about it all made his neck go hot with images of them sharing a room,  _ his  _ room. “I’ll give you the bed and sleep on the floor.”

“You bet you will,” she said and started to walk out of his office. 

He called after her, “Did I mention I was planning on getting you a better Christmas gift than last year?”

He didn’t miss the smirk in her tone when she replied, “Did I mention I like jewelry?”

He snorted, then, after a beat, realized she was probably serious. If she wanted jewelry that’s what she’d get.

“Tiffany's it is,” he murmured to himself and pulled up a new tab on his Safari. 

Five hours later, his headache was gone but his frustration was not. He was no closer to deciding on a gift for her than he had been that morning. He liked a lot of things, and spent an embarrassing amount of time hovering his cursor over a tab he had no business even considering. Reminding himself that he was in a fake relationship and ,as soon as his mother went home, everything would be back to normal. He sighed, clicked on pendants, and tried not to think about how much he wished things could be different.

A few more minutes went by as he browsed then a pop-up message appeared in the corner of his screen from Abby letting him know Sinclair was on his way in. It was his final meeting and he’d be done with them until after the holiday. Which was a good thing, with his mom back at his apartment, he needed to be back at home at a decent enough hour since she had come to spend the holiday with him. And it was entirely possible as he hadn’t a lot to do. Being that it was Friday and most of their current projects weren’t being worked on until after the new year. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Sinclair said, holding a laptop in his hands and briskly making his way over to the table in the middle of his office that he used whenever he met with his team. He found it more productive than a sparse conference room. He took his own laptop over and took a seat next to him. “Whoa.” The slightly younger man said with one look at Marcus’ screen that was still on Tiffany & Co. His eyebrows rose up into his hairline. There was a beat before he asked, “Mess up that bad, huh?”

Marcus let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. There was no use denying it, not to Sinclair anyway. “You could say that,” he admitted. Gesturing to Sinclair’s screen with a point of his finger, Marcus encouraged, “I’m listening. You talk while I keep trying to find something.

Sinclair clapped his hands together, ready to dive in. “Alright, so with all the changes we’ve done we-” but his words trailed off. “Wait, you’re not seriously looking at brooches?”

Marcus frowned. “What’s wrong with brooches?”

“Are you shopping for Abby or your mother?” he asked in a deadpan tone.

He let out a long breath. “Let's skip me explaining everything and say that I am shopping for Abby,” he said because they both knew he was and because he could use the help. “What do you suggest?”

“Well, what are you trying to say with this gift?”

Groaning, Marcus ran his hand over his face and sat back in his chair. There were a lot of things he wanted to say. Thanking her for putting up with him being at the top of his list. “That I appreciate her.”

His employee arched a dubious brow. “That’s it?”

Another deep sigh. Was he so obvious? “There might be  _ some _ feelings involved.”

Sinclair nodded knowingly and gestured to his computer. Marcus waved his permission and the younger man turned it towards him, clinking away at the website while he asked, “Professional feelings? Friendship feelings? Changing your Facebook status feelings?”

Changing his what? “My status?”

Sinclair gave him a look like he was truly disappointed in him. “You know for a man who owns his own advertising agency, you’re really terrible at this.”

But that was his problem. He didn’t know what  _ this _ was. While he wanted it to be more than just something he’d give her to say thank you, that she meant more to him than just some ruse or his secretary, he was unsure if  _ she  _ wanted it to mean more than that.

“I want, whatever I get her, to say I appreciate her and care for her.”

“Alright, well you’re going all out with Tiffany and that in itself screams commitment. So whatever it is you’re feeling that you don’t want to explain, has to be at least something you feel strongly about. I say get her earrings.”

Sinclair turned the laptop to face him once again. There on the screen, an array of designs stared back at him. Some were simple studs, some with gemstones, some bare shapes of silver and gold, and some delicate that dangled with diamonds and pearls. It was those last ones that drew his attention.

“Earrings,” he echoed in a murmur and hummed thoughtfully to himself. “She does wear them.”

“She does and they’re not a necklace which can be seen as a little more intimate, but not as intimate as say a ring. Unless…”

“Earrings it is,” he said effectively cutting Sinclair off from whatever absurd thought he was about to say. He made one final sweeping gaze over the selections, making a mental note on the ones he liked so that he could look for them when he stopped by the store on his way home. Closing the browser, he turned towards the work at hand. “Now talk to me about the Nike account.”

* * *

 

Work had been annoyingly slow for Abby most of the day. With it being so close to Christmas, there wasn’t much to be done. Aside from a few scheduling changes and emails, she had been, well, bored. 

She thought a time or two about finishing her book. She was on her yearly reread of Jane Eyre and nearly finished. But every time she picked it up, she’d get one or two paragraphs in and then her thoughts would start to wander. To the weekend. To her sleepover. And then she would sigh and put the book down. 

No matter how much she tried to tell herself it was nothing, she thought about how she’d be sharing a room with him, sharing a  _ bed  _ with him (she wasn’t seriously going to make him sleep on the floor), and her belly would erupt with nervous butterflies.

She was so annoyed with herself. She was going on forty. She wasn’t an inexperienced twenty-year-old with uncontrollable hormones. She and Marcus were adults. They could sleep in the same bed without anything happening, she was sure. And with that mini pep talk, she reached for her book to try one more time when her phone vibrated. A notification appeared a moment later and she smiled seeing Diana’s name. 

_ You and me, drinks this weekend. I’m not taking no for an answer.  _

With a sigh she took her phone and typed,  _ I’d love to but I have plans.  _

_ Plans? You? _

Abby bristled. Was the notion so unbelievable?  _ Yes, don’t act so surprised.  _

_ Oooh, dish! Does this mean you met someone? What’s his name? Or her name? _

She stared at the little blue blinking line, thinking of what she should reply. Could she tell Diana? They didn't exactly share the same social circle. Even if the blonde had told someone, Abby didn’t see how her spending time with Marcus would be gossip-worthy or even interesting…. then again. Thinking she would be better off not risking it, she replied,  _ I don’t want to say just yet. _

_ Hahaha. It’s Kane, isn’t it? _

Abby’s jaw fell open. How could she know?  _ Why do you say that? _

_ Are you serious? _

She started to reply, but a new text popped up and this one wasn’t from Diana. Abby ignored the way her heart fluttered in her chest seeing Marcus’ name. He never text her. Not while they were at work anyway. Not when they had office messaging and only a wall between them. 

It made it feel intimate, personal. And if she thought she was pathetic when his name made her heart flutter, his words on the screen when she pulled up his text made her melt into a puddle. 

_ I really appreciate all that you’re doing for me, you know.  _

She could just see him sitting at his desk, his soft, warm eyes and crease between his brows that she always felt the need to reach up and sooth away. Unsure how she should respond, she replied with a simple,  _ I know. _

_ I appreciate you. _

She thought if he could have put an emphasis on  _ you  _ he would have. She smiled and replied,  _ I know. _

A few minutes later, as she opened her book to read another notification popped up.

_ If you were to change your mind, you can still have February. I’m sorry I was an ass about it. I’ve just come to rely on having you here with me. I wasn’t lying last night, about what I said. _

She bit the inside of her cheek and sent,  _ I’m not changing my mind, but thank you.   _

_ You’re welcome.  _

And with that small exchange throughout the day, they continued to trade texts. He may have initiated the first ones, but she reasoned if they were going to pull this whole thing off, they should probably know one another a little more personally than they did. 

He, of course, being Marcus Kane, thought he knew her well enough, so she challenged him. 

_ What’s my favorite color? _

_ Pink. _

She narrowed her eyes and drummed her fingers on her desk. Her eyes swept around taking inventory of all the things that may have given him any indication of a color preference, but there was nothing in pink. And she could recall only one blouse she may have on occasion wore into work…   _ And what makes you think that? _

_ Your nail polish. It’s always varying shades of mattes and pastels. _

She splayed her hand open and cringed at her week-old manicure. The color was a lighter one than she had before and mostly she picked it for the name,  _ Get me to the Taj on Time _ . And it was, like all the others, a shade of pink. Alright, so he paid attention to details. That was an easy one. She decided to throw something harder at him. 

_ I know how you drink your coffee, but how do I take mine? _

_ You have me there,  _ came his first text, and she smiled triumphantly. She started to type a reply but then another text from him made her pause. _ But if I had to guess, it’s something simple with just a touch of sweet like a vanilla latte. _

Abby huffed and deleted her previous words then typed, _ I prefer hazelnut to vanilla but you’re not wrong. You won’t get this though, favorite movie. _

_ My initial thought is a rom-com, but something tells me sappy love stories aren’t your thing. _

_ You’d be correct. It’s Interview with the Vampire. _

_ A gothic horror girl. Why am I not surprised?  _

Abby arched a brow at his little winky emoji.  _ I don’t know. Why aren’t you? _

_ From the books I’ve seen lying on your desk throughout the time you’ve worked here, it’s not a great leap to say your reading genres and movie genres are one and the same.  _

_ Well, it seems I didn’t give you enough credit. _

_ Let's turn the tables then. What’s my favorite movie? _

She blinked down at the screen for about ten seconds before she typed,  _ Die Hard. _

_ Alright, how’d you know? _

She smirked.  _ You had me order you the box set last year because it was, “the best Christmas movie ever made.” _

_ Shit. I forgot about that. And it is, by the way. _

She made a face.  _ I’ll take your word for it. Enough with the guessing. Tell me something about you I wouldn’t know. _

_ Hmm. I can play the guitar and I took ice skating lessons until I was sixteen.  _

Abby grinned.  _ The guitar makes the idea of you even more charming, but I’m sorry, the ice skating I just can’t see. I may need you to prove that. _

_ Won’t happen _ . She chuckled, then bit her lip when another followed.  _ But let’s discuss how you think I’m charming. _

They were dancing on dangerous territory, but she answered truthfully.  _ You can be. When you’re not being stubborn and cold-hearted. _

_ Cold hearted? Ouch. _

_ You’re not the warmest person at first. But I’ve gotten to know you enough to know there’s a softer Marcus Kane hidden beneath those stiff shirts and perfect ties. I wish I saw him more. _

_ Maybe you will. _

_ Hope is everything. _


	5. Chapter 5

The last time Marcus had anyone in his apartment, besides his family and a housekeeper that he paid to come in every couple of months, was a lot longer than he cared to admit. He felt nervous having Abby over. Not that there was much difference between his office and his home. He decorated in the same modern style with abstract art and comfortable furnishings. It was home to him, and he hoped it would feel welcoming for her. She was, after all, doing him on hell of a favor and it was the least he could do. 

“Marcus, the place is clean as can be. Now come sit down with me. You’d think you’d never had Abigail over.”

He looked up from straightening the kitchen, to see his mom looking over her cup of tea at him with a curious look. 

“It’s not that,” he started, though it actually was  _ that _ . “I don’t want to have to pick up while she’s here. So we can spend more time together.”

His mother chuckled. “That’s sweet of you but I’m sure she won’t mind if it’s a little untidy. I certainly don’t.”

That may be but it’d been a minute since he really cleaned. He didn’t spend a lot of time at home, so it was mainly dust he had to worry about. And more than that, he felt the need to make sure Abby didn’t think he was a slob. 

The sound of the buzzer went off and he tossed the towel he’d been using in the hamper in the hall while calling out, “That’ll be Abby.”

He buzzed her in and met her at the door. She had little bits of snow in her hair and her cheeks were a dusty red from the cold. 

“Hey,” she said with a smile.

“Hi.” 

He held the door open. She stepped inside and his brow furrowed. The only thing she had with her was a purse. She was staying over? Had she changed her mind? He realized his mom was watching them so he leaned over and kissed her cheek, ignoring how good she smelled and how soft her skin was under his lips, before taking her hand. “Mom, we’ll be out in a minute,” he said and walked through the living room taking her back to the other side of the apartment. He took his time, giving her a chance to look around before taking her into his room and closing the door behind them. “I thought bringing you back here with me would give you chance to see where everything was.”

“Smart,” she said gazing around his room. 

He swallowed and asked, “Did you, uh, bring anything?” 

She smirked at him. “A woman’s purse holds a lot more than you think.”

He chuckled and let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, I'll go start on dinner and let you make the place look cohabited.” 

Abby spent only about ten minutes in his room before she joined him and his mother in the kitchen. He made her a cup of coffee with a hazelnut creamer that he picked up that morning along with a few groceries for dinner. 

It was Abby and his mother who did most of the talking. He listened absentmindedly while he chopped vegetables and started a bolognese sauce for the lasagna he was making. 

“Hey,” Abby said, sneaking up behind him making him startle slightly.

“Hey,” he replied glancing over his shoulder. His mom was gone from the table. “Where’d she go?”

“To call and see how your sister is doing.”

“Ah.”

“Smells good,” she said and he smiled at how close she was and how she placed her hand on his biceps to lean closer to the sauce he was stirring. 

He raised a brow at her and asked, “Want to try it?”

“Are you kidding? Yes.”

He chuckled, scooped up a bit and blew on it, making sure it was cool before holding it out. It was probably pretty sad of him how hypnotic it was to watch her take a bite, but what could he say, he was a lonely bastard and his feelings for her, he was discovering, ran deeper than he ever thought. 

She hummed appreciatively. “Impressive.”

“Thank you.” 

She leaned against the counter, and lowering her voice, asked, “You never mentioned you cooked.”

“I guess I never thought about mentioning it.” He chanced a glance over his shoulder to make sure his mother hadn’t returned. “I don’t cook often. There’s no point when you live alone.”

“Understandable,” she replied with a sigh. “But had I known you could make lasagna, I would have talked you into making it for Clarke. It’s her favorite and I always seem to burn it.”

He chuckled, and covered the sauce. “When she comes home you can bring her over and I will.”

She tipped her head to the side and the smile she gave him was soft and touched. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

Her eyes held his, but then they slid to his lips and without thinking his own dropped to hers. He wasn’t sure who started to drift first, but it was like being pulled towards her by an invisible string and he could no more fight it than he could the feeling of hope settling into his chest and making a place there. 

“Aurora told me to tell you both hello.”

His mother’s voice broke the moment between them, and they glanced away from one another. Abby tucked her hair behind her ears and moved back over to the table to join his mother once again. 

Clearing his throat, he asked, “How is she doing?” His voice sounded strange and distant over the rapid beating of his heart. 

“Still under the weather, but Octavia is bouncing back.”

“Good to hear.” He checked the noodles, busing his mind from thinking how close he had been to kissing Abby. Satisfied that they were done, he started putting together the lasagna. “I hope you both are hungry, this is almost done."

* * *

 

When she packed, knowing she would be sleeping with Marcus, there was no other option in her mind but to pick the least sexy pajamas she owned. Standing in his bathroom, she finished brushing out her hair and took one last look at herself. At her Christmas themed flannel pajamas.

She looked… fine, albeit a little ridiculous.

But why was she worrying? It wasn’t like anything was going to happen. They were just pretending. The almost kiss in the kitchen that was nothing. She rolled her eyes at herself and ran her fingers through her hair. Okay, so it wasn’t  _ nothing _ . 

It was just a moment between them. She got caught up in the image of a relaxed, domestic Marcus making dinner for her and her daughter and he… well, she didn’t know what drew him to her. Maybe it was just the same for him? They both spent a lot of time alone, it was the holiday, and they had chemistry. 

It was a one-off thing. It didn’t mean anything else would happen. 

Right?

She let out a sigh and leaned her hands against the counter. “Keep telling yourself that,” she murmured softly to her reflection. 

With a deep breath, she pushed herself away and left the bathroom. 

She must have been in the bathroom long enough for him to come in and change because he looked up from where he was sitting on the bed, clad in a white tee and grey cotton pajama pants. He had his laptop on his lap, and somehow this didn’t surprise her. “Do you always sleep in pajamas like that?” he asked.

“Like what?” she asked, going over to her side of the bed and taking her iPad from her purse. “You don’t like snowmen?”

He chuckled softly and shrugged as he went back to what she could only assume was work. “No, it’s... they’re cute.”

She got into bed, suppressing a sigh at the feel of his soft sheets. Of course, he would be a man who appreciated thread counts. Because that’s just what she needed. To adore him more than she already did. “Cute?”

He looked over at her, his eyes glancing quickly over her once more before stating, “I stand by my assessment.”

She laughed, and explained, “Clarke and I get matching Christmas pajamas every year, but to answer your question, no, I don't usually sleep in these.”

“Ah,” was all he said, but then as she settled back into the pillow and pulled up her work email, he must have been peeking because he asked her, “What are you doing?”

“You’re just full of questions,” she teased. “I’m going over your schedule one more time before Monday.”

“You do that at home?”

She shrugged. “Sometimes. When you have a packed day I try and figure out where I can make cuts so you can have more free time.”

He gave her one of his crooked smiles. “I should give you a raise.”

“I wouldn’t turn one down.” 

They shared smiles and then she worked on the schedule for a little while, there weren’t many things she needed to change. Next week would be their last few days before Christmas then nobody would be in the office until after the new year. When she got done with making cuts where she could, she pulled up her Kindle and read, listening to Marcus as he typed away then looking over a while later when he closed his laptop. 

He yawned. “I think I’m going to sleep.”

Feeling tired herself, she powered off her iPad. “Okay, I can put this away.” 

“You don’t have to. I’m just more tired than usual,” he told her, moving across the room to set his laptop on the top of his dresser. Then as he got into bed, he added, “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“That makes two of us.” She got settled into bed and when he turned out the light, turned on her side to face him suddenly not very tired at all. “Why couldn’t you sleep?”

Even in the soft light from the city, she could see he fought a losing battle with a smile. “You have to ask?”

She giggled and uncharacteristic giggle, and pressed her lips together at his frown. “No, I’m sure it was the same reason I couldn’t.” Maybe. Probably not. He let out a sigh, and she watched him close his eyes. Her thoughts drifted back to why she hadn’t been able to sleep. To the comment his mother made. A comment that had her wondering over and over again that maybe he thought of her more than just his secretary or a friend. She’d been afraid to bring it up though, afraid of what his answer might be because if she were wrong… 

But she didn’t really think that she was. 

“Marcus, can I ask you about something?”

“Now who’s full of questions?” came his mumble followed by a sigh. He looked over at her and gave her a small smile. “Sorry, shoot.”

With her hand underneath her cheek, she blinked at him in the darkness. “Did you tell her you were dating me or is there another Abby out there in your life I don’t know about?”

He flipped from his back to his side to face her. Their eyes held and she wasn’t sure but he looked almost sheepish, as he began to explain, “It was a little over a year ago now, we were both working late when she called. It was a long day, I was exhausted, and I just wanted to get off of the phone. Right about the time she asked me if I was seeing someone you happened to come into the room.”

Well, that was understandable. She wasn’t sure why she found it so disappointing. “And because you had just seen me you told her we were seeing one another?”

“Yeah, I did. Pretty ridiculous, huh?” He huffed a laugh.  _ Ridiculous,  _ her mind repeated. She tried to smile but it felt too forced. He must have noticed the change in her mood because his look softened, his voice a whisper when he asked, “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, smiled though she felt her eyes sting with tears. “Nothing.” She turned on her other side away from him so he couldn't see the ones that fell, and murmured, “Goodnight, Marcus.”

After a minute, she heard his soft reply, “Goodnight, Abby.”


	6. Chapter 6

When Marcus woke, he hadn’t thought his day could have started off any worse than it had the other morning. Though he slept pretty soundly, once he had been able to fall asleep, the way Abby looked when he remarked that it had been ridiculous of him to say her name when he lied to his mother, confused him. He thought she’d have been relieved to hear there hadn’t been any real intention behind it. And yet the look on her face had seemed hurt?

And if that hadn’t been weighing heavily on his mind, the news that a potential client of his decided to go with Thelonious Jaha’s agency instead of his, set his teeth on edge and killed any good mood he would have had waking to Abby and his mother cooking him breakfast. 

Abby had seen the look on his face or sensed his mood as she came up to him with a furrowed brow and asked, “What happened?”

He had shown her the email and she scowled at the phone. “They were a bunch of idiots anyway.”

While he loved her indignance, it only brightened his mood until lunch when his sullenness returned. The cold didn’t help. Truthfully, he just wanted to sit at home and sulk, but his mother and Abby talked him into bundling up so they could go and do some shopping at Bryant Park. 

He did pretty well, holding Abby’s hand and sipping his hot coffee in silence while the girls shopped and talked, completely oblivious to him as he thought about Jaha’s smug face come the new year. It just made him want to punch something. 

“Oh, this is a perfect sweater for Octavia. Don’t you think she’ll like it, Marcus?”

He looked over at the garment his mother was holding in the air for his inspection, and it was horrendous. “She’s thirteen, why wouldn’t she like a reindeer sweater?”

Abby gave him a look. The same look she gave him at work when her patience for him and his moods had reached its limit. “Don’t listen to him.” Her eyes held his as she added, “It’s adorable, she’ll love it.”

He wordlessly gave her his own look. One that he hoped to convey how much he adamantly disagreed. 

To his amusement, his mother replaced the sweater on the table. As she continued to browse, she asked, “What do you want for Christmas, Marcus?”

“Hmm? I don’t know...” He wasn’t getting Chevrolet like he thought he was. “Ferrari? Lexus? I’d settle for Mazda.”

His mother looked at him like he was talking gibberish, but Abby rolled her eyes and said, “They’re  auto accounts and he lost one today so he’s pouting.”

He frowned down into his coffee cup but didn’t disagree. 

“Maybe I should ask Abby what to get you?”

He met Abby’s gaze. She looked smug like she’d know exactly what he would like. Which was probably true. “She might have an idea or two.”

“Really, Marcus? Cheer up, it’s just an account. There will be others.”

He opened his mouth to tell her yes, there would be but that wasn’t the point, but Abby chose that moment to take him by the hand and say, “I have just the thing to cheer him up.” She pulled him by across the aisle toward the food trucks. 

“Abby, what-“

“Hello,” she told the cooks, smiling brightly up at them. “Three spicy godmothers and three hot apple ciders and make two of those bourbons.”

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. She knew him too well. He turned to her. “You think food’s going to do it?”

She frowned. “Your favorite sandwich and a nice warm bourbon aren’t enough?”

“Depends,” he asked in challenge. “What else do you have?”

She grabbed him by his jacket and pulled him down, her lips were warm and lingered on his cheek for long moments, and then her voice, low in his ear asked, “How about that?”

“Might have helped.”

She rolled her eyes and kissed the other cheek. “You’re such a man.”

* * *

A few hours later, with hands full of bags, they all agreed they purchased all they desired. With an exception to stop by the store on the way back to his apartment so Vera could make them dinner later. 

But a glance to her left at the skating rink had her smiling and pulling Marcus to a stop. “Wait,” she began and he looked over at her. She bit her lip, knowing he was probably going to say no but she had to try. “There’s one more thing I want to do before we go.”

His brow furrowed and she smiled, then tilted her head in the direction of all the laughter. His eyes widened. “No. Abby-“

“Come on, please, Marcus. I haven’t gone skating in years.” She gazed up at him, and gave him the best doe-eyed, pleading look she could. “Please?”

His mother had caught on to what she was asking because, sounding surprised, she asked, “What’s this? You haven’t taken her skating yet?”

He let out a sigh, probably knowing between the two of them he was as good as defeated. “I guess we could.”

They left their bags with his mother and exchanged their shoes for skates. She went slow at first. She hadn’t been lying when she told him she hadn’t been skating in years, but her hesitation was nothing compared to his slow, careful strides. 

She looked over at him with raised brows. “I thought you said you had lessons as a kid?”

“I did. I'm a little out of practice is all.” He took her hand in his. It took them around two laps but then they found a steady pace together. “She’s watching us.”

She chuckled. She’d seen Vera watching them too. “She’s just happy for you.”

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “Which makes me hate lying to her even more.”

She didn’t blame him. She hadn’t been feeling great about it herself. “The more I get to know her the more I can’t help feel guilty too,” she said then a thought hit her, had her slowing them down and looking up at him wondering if she should say, but then her words were out before she could stop them. “But what if we…” She pursed her lips together at his raised brow and shook her head. “Never mind.”

No. It was stupid idea anyway and she didn’t want to ruin what they had by making it more complicated.

“What?” He slowed them to a stop. “What were you going to say?”

She let out a sigh. Her breath coming out in a cloud between them while her eyes found his. “What if we agreed this was a date? It wouldn’t be technically lying anymore. Unless…” His face had fallen and she didn’t know if it was because the suggestion hit him out of nowhere or because the thought of them being on a real date was that appalling. Suddenly, she didn’t want to know the answer. “See the way you’re looking at me. Forget I said anything.”

She started to skate away, but he was quicker. Before she knew it, his hand took hers and he was in front of her. “Abby, stop. Come here. I was surprised is all. I wouldn’t mind it. In fact, I’d like to think of this as a date.”

She licked her lips and looked over at across the rink where his mother was still watching them. “Would it be weird after she goes home?”

“No, I don’t think so.” The side of his mouth lifted. “Besides, maybe if I don’t mess this all up I might ask you again once she’s gone.”

She raised her eyes to look into his. They were soft and warm, and dare she say, he looked nervous? She smiled thinking they were as bad as teenagers. Maybe worse. “I’d like that.”

She felt his hand on her hip, and she realized then he was bringing her closer to him. 

But then there was a yelp out of nowhere and then a voice shouting, “Hey! Watch out, incoming!”

Everything happened in one big blur after that. A group of teenagers skating way too fast rushed passed them, one of them hitting Marcus in the shoulder, knocking him over and down on the ice so fast she was unable to help him. “Marcus!”

“Ah,  _ shit _ !” 

He went down on his back, and she kneeled beside him. “Are you alright?”

She helped him sit up, the action making him grimace. “Yeah, I just twisted my knee on the way down.”

She looked away and narrowed her eyes at the kids who were skating on the other side of the rink laughing and having a good old time, not caring that their reckless behavior caused someone to fall and hurt themselves. “Let me see.” She took off her gloves and felt where he said it hurt. “How’s that feel?”

Another grimace. “It doesn’t feel good, but it’s not bad.”

“Can you stand?”

“Yeah, I’m tougher than I look Dr. Griffin.” He smirked and she shook her head, helping him to his feet with a soft laugh. He put an arm over her shoulders and she an arm around his back. “One more time around?” he asked. 

She looked up at him. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Definitely.”

They went slow, and she took note of the way he moved and the way his breath would hitch. It was hurting him more than he was going to admit to her. She would have him let her look at it later, but now she’d give him a pass. 

They did manage to make it one more time around, and she made sure to help him off the ice and over to sit down. 

His mother was by their side in no time. Her face set in a concerned frown. “Marcus, I saw you fall. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Mom,” he assured her.

“Oh, Marcus look!” His mother’s voice rang out. Abby looked up to see what she was pointing at and her eyes widened. She had been so focused on making sure he was okay and helping him get his skates off, she didn’t see they had sat under an arch that was placed there solely to catch couples with the mistletoe which was hung from above. Her stomach flipped as she looked at Marcus. She felt her face heat and she swallowed. His gaze mirroring the same bashful uncertainty she was sure was in hers. “What’s wrong with you? She’s your girlfriend.”

She watched his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed. “I know she is.”

His eyes fell to her lips, and hers to his. His tongue peaked out to lick his lips, making her breath catch.  _ Kiss me, _ a voice in her head whispered. How long had it been since she wanted nothing more to know what it was like? For him to close the distance between them in his darkened office? To know what it felt like to run her hands through his hair? Suddenly, she couldn’t take it any longer. “Marcus, just kiss me.”

And he did. 

His lips moved over hers, and she took him by his jacket to keep him from escaping too quickly, but she needn't have worried. He didn’t seem like he was in a rush to go anywhere because she felt his hand on her lower back and his other come up to cradle her cheek. 

Minutes, moments, hours later they broke apart breathless, and she could hear the smile in his mom’s voice when she said, “See, Marcus, that wasn’t so bad now was it?”

They were still only inches from each other, his eyes were locked with hers as he breathed, “No, it wasn’t.”

When their shoes were back on and skates returned, he held out his hand and she threaded their fingers together and if they happened to walk a little closer to one another than before neither one of them seemed to be bothered by it. 


	7. Chapter 7

Marcus wouldn’t say things between them were awkward when they returned to his apartment, more quiet. Like they weren’t really sure what to say to one another after their kiss. There were smiles and, more than once, they would catch one another staring at the other before looking away. He found himself thinking about how much he wanted to kiss her again. Preferably, without an audience. 

While his mother cooked, he decided to take a page from Abby’s book, and pull out a novel he’d been meaning to finish for more than a few months. He listened from his living room while Abby tried to help but his mother chased her from the kitchen, insisting Abby go and be with him while she attended to dinner. A few moments later, she came into the room with her iPad and settled on the sofa, tucking herself up against his side. 

That tiny bit of hope in his chest grew substantially. 

An hour and a handful of chapters later, they were called into dinner. In the kitchen, his mom had set the table and placed them right next to one another and she across the table. He caught Abby’s eye and they shared a smile as they sat beside one another.

His stomach growled seeing his mother’s famous enchiladas and leaned telling Abby about how much he loved them. They dug in and after a bite she agreed. They chatted a little, but after the day they all had, they mostly ate in silence. 

About half way through their meal, however, his mother put her fork down and asked, “Have you talked about marriage?”

He’d been so engrossed in enjoying his meal, it took him a moment to process the question and when he did, he looked over at Abby who was looking at him with a barely contained smile, waiting for  _ him _ to respond.  _ Oh sure, now she’s mute. _ He swallowed and took his napkin from his lap, wiping his mouth that had gone dry. “We… I… that is to say…”

“We do want to get married,” Abby said while reaching for her glass of wine and he did his best to keep in mind they were both just pretending. 

Or they were… Not so much anymore.

His mom looked at him then her, a pleased smile forming on her lips. “Really?”

“Really.” Abby nodded. Marcus looked over at her amazed at how she eased her way through it all. One mention of marriage and he was a stuttering fool. “Right now is just a busy time but once things calm down it’s a strong possibility. Right, honey?”

He grinned at her term of endearment for him as it filled his chest with a warmth he decided to embrace. He could get used to it. And he supposed realistically, if they were to ever get married, winter was the worst time for them strictly speaking. He took his own glass of wine and said, “That’s right. Christmas and New Year is always madness in the advertising world.”

His mom nodded thoughtfully. “What about children?” He’d just taken a drink, marriage was one thing but children were entirely another, and the question took him so much by surprise and he inhaled, sputtered and coughed. Abby reached over and pat his back. Her face gave away nothing, not even surprise. “How old is your daughter, Abby?”

“She’s seventeen.”

“Surely you want more?” his mom asked her.

He listened with keen interest as he got his breath back and Abby thoughtfully answered, “I would like another, but it took two years for me to get pregnant with Clarke. It might be just as difficult, if not more so now. I’m certainly not twenty anymore.”

He watched her, waiting to see if she’d look at him but she kept her eyes anywhere but his. 

“I’m sure you both will do just fine,” his mom dismissed with such positive support it made him smile. “Marcus would make such a good father. You should see him with his niece and nephew. They love him so much.”

It was then Abby looked over at him, and he reached for her hand giving it ,what he hoped was, a affectionate, comforting squeeze under the table. “I’m sure they do.”

* * *

He had kissed her.

She played it over and over in her mind. Touched her lips with the tips of her fingers more times than she could count as she thought back to it. Were they technically dating now? They agreed that their day together had been one, and he as much as told her he wanted to go on more after his mother was gone. The thought of more dates alone with Marcus made her happy and nervous all at once. She swore her face hurt from smiling so much. 

It’d been late after she helped Marcus clean up after dinner, so she told him she was going to shower before bed, and retreated into his room. She’d been reading after for about twenty minutes when Marcus finally joined her.

“I’m sorry about all that.”

He’d worn jeans and a black sweater over a black tee that day. And she bit her lip watching him remove the sweater. Her eyes falling to the skin revealed when his tee shirt was pulled up along with it. “No, it’s fine. Your mother’s just looking after you.” She paused and watched him slowly make his way towards his closet favoring his weight on his right leg. “You’re still limping?”

His soft chuckle filled the room. “It still hurts.”

She sat her tablet on the night stand beside the bed. “Come here, let me take a look.”

“Abby, it’s fine,” he attempted to protest.

She shook her head, not about to take no for an answer and pat the spot beside her. “Take off your pants and come here.”

He stopped in the middle of the room and stared at her. “What?”

She pushed her still damp hair over one shoulder and trying but failing not to laugh at his expression. “Marcus, I think I can handle seeing you in your underwear. Come here.”

His leg hurt him quite a bit or he just thought arguing would be pointless, either way he started to unbutton his jeans, and she made work of braiding her hair to keep her eyes from watching him. At least, not until he sat beside her on the bed. 

“Boxers, huh? That’s one question about you answered.” He smirked and looked away. Her brow furrowed. His knee was swollen. Bright purple blossoms gazed back at her making her cringe just looking at it. “I should have taken a look at it sooner.”

“Why?”

“Because you should have had it up with some ice on it.” She moved her hand under his knee and bent his leg. “How’s that feel?”

He let his head fall back against the headboard. His eyes closed as he groaned. “If I said it hurt like hell would you promise not to take me to the hospital?”

“Nothing's broken so I don’t think that’ll be necessary, but I still don’t like the look of it.” She sighed, but remembered seeing an elastic bandage in his bathroom cupboard, asked, “Do you have any ice packs?”

“I should, yeah.”

“Stay put and prop a pillow under your knee.”

She did find an ice pack in his freezer, and with the bandage she made her way back to his room thinking about how she remembered injuring his knee while running a 5k that summer. He limped for a good three days, until she nagged him about going to get it seen. 

“Here we go,” she said as she sat beside him and wrapped the pack carefully around his knee with the bandage, “but if it’s still this swollen in the morning we’re going in.”

He frowned at her but she ignored it, adjusted the ice pack to the more irritated side making sure it was tight enough to stay put.

While she was busy fussing with his knee, he said, “I didn’t know you had trouble conceiving Clarke.” She glanced up at him and the look in his eyes was gentle, sympathetic. “I only bring it up because it seemed like it bothered you still. Do you want more?”

Her shoulders lifted and fell. “Jake and I were content with Clarke. Until now, I hadn’t really thought about having more. I hadn’t planned on meeting someone I’d want to have more children with.” He smiled softly, she felt her cheeks heat and she swallowed before moving on. “It can be a deal breaker for some people if it’s too difficult or if there’s no guarantee it will happen.” She let her thought end there, not really able to look him in the eye afraid of what she’d see if she did. 

But she needn’t have worried because he leaned forward, placed a knuckle gently under her chin and waited until she looked up to say, “It’s not a deal breaker for everyone.”

Her heart knocked heard in her chest, so hard she was sure he could hear it. She reached up and took his hand and smiled. “That’s good to know.”

“How long do you want me to keep this on?” he asked.

“At least twenty minutes. I’ll wrap it for you tomorrow. It’ll help with the swelling and probably make it feel a whole lot better than it has today.”

“It’s a pretty nice perk having a girlfriend who’s also a doctor.”

She gave him a look half exasperated half amused. “Especially when said boyfriend is a bit of a klutz.”

He feigned offense. “You would wound the injured?”

She laughed and settled in beside him, their shoulders brushing together. “I think your ego can take it.”

He reached over for something and when he came back it was with the remote in his hand. “Do you want to watch something?” 

She arched a brow and took the remote from him. “Do I get to pick?”

“Sure.” He sank down in the bed a bit more. “Does Netflix have Interview with the Vampire?”

Shaking her head, she sighed a dramatic sigh. She wished. “They don’t. I’ve checked.”

As the Netflix menu appeared a preview of a variety of shows lined up across the screen. “The Haunting of Hill House,” he said. “It’s got that Gothic vibe you like. Sinclair mentioned it was good.”

She clicked on it and frowned. “It’s a series though?”

He looked up at her. “We can always see how far we get and finish it later?”   
  
Wait, was he suggesting…

_ Oh. _

“On another sleepover?” she asked trying and failing not to smile.   


He didn’t miss a beat when he replied, “I wouldn’t complain to having more.”    
  
“More dates, more sleepovers,” she mused settling down next to him. “Alright then. Let’s see what the fuss is about.”

She woke hours later with a gasp. Her heart beating so fast and hard as the images of her hands covered in blood and Marcus’ lifeless body filled her mind.  _ A dream _ , she thought while trying to catch her breath. Sitting up, she almost forgot where she was but then Marcus sleep-filled voice spoke her name startling her. She turned towards him feeling his hand on her back.

“It was just a dream,” she murmured.

“It’s still early, come here,” he whispered. She laid back down, and she realized then she had been asleep in his arms because she fit easily beside him. His arm wrapped around her middle, and she placed her hand over his keeping him there. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She shook her head trying to banish all traces from her dream away. “It was the show.”

She felt his chuckle vibrate in his chest that was pressed against her back. He had teased her several times during the five episodes that they made it through, whenever she jumped, that they could turn it to one of the cheesy Christmas shows. But she’d been stubborn and truthfully, she didn’t mind being pressed so close to him when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I thought you weren’t afraid?”

“I wasn’t before,” she whispered, not telling him her fear really had nothing to do with the movie.

“It’s alright.” She felt him press a kiss to her hair and she closed her eyes. A tear trailed out of the corner as he assured, “I’m here.” 

She finally fell asleep to the reassuring feel of Marcus’ steady breathing.


	8. Chapter 8

If someone asked him what the lengthy email in front of him contained or even said, he’d probably have told them to hang on for a moment while he reread it. He probably read the same paragraph at least ten times now and he was no sooner replying to it than he had been when he first opened it ten minutes ago. Giving up, he sat back in his chair with a soft chuckle. He hadn’t gotten a thing done and it was nearly noon.

Looking out the window, he thought back to his previous relationship and wondered if he had  been so taken in the beginning with Callie as he was with Abby? He didn’t think so. He couldn’t remember feeling so... distracted. It could have been the difference in the way the two relationships began. He and Callie had many dates spread over months whereas he and Abby spent five days a week together going on two years now. She was familiar and yet, unfamiliar. He knew the smell of her perfume anywhere, but until last night he never knew what it was like to sleep with her in his arms.

And he was fast becoming addicted as much as he was in love.

It only took one morning of waking to her pillowed across his chest, and he knew right then that was the way he wanted to wake up for the rest of his life.  

 _How’s your knee? she had mumbled._   
  
_He bent his knee, it was a bit sore but nothing like it had been the night before. “Better.”_   
_  
_She raised her head up and blinked down at him. Everything from her sleep-filled voice, to her hair that cascaded down around her shoulders, to her face free of makeup enchanted him.

 _God, she was beautiful._   
_  
_“I still want to look at it,” she told him then lowered her head back down. “In five more minutes.”

He chuckled and rubbed her back, his fingertips trailing up and down her spine drawing soft sighs from her. Being in such an intimate position with her was like being home. And he couldn’t help but think about how perfect she fit in his arms. He hadn’t slept so soundly in a long time, and he hadn’t woken with quite as much… longing for longer than that. He was already half hard just holding her. While he would have loved to lie there with her, he was growing increasingly aware of the feel of her and if he didn’t get up soon she was also going to be aware of just how much he wanted her.

Moving out of her arms had been harder than he expected but he kissed her forehead and murmured he would take a fast shower while she enjoyed a few more minutes in bed.

That shower had been one hell of a cold shower.

His cell phone began to ring and startled him out of his reverie. His mom’s name displaying across the screen had him reaching for it. “Hey, Mom.”

“Marcus, a thought just occurred to me,” she said, “why don’t you have a tree?”

He blinked. “I uh, hadn’t thought about it.”

“You nor Abby?”

“Abby has a tree at her apartment,” he said, assuming she did though, with Clarke gone, she might have not put one up. His eyes looked out into the hall as though he could see her through the wall. He thought about the Christmas cards that decorated her desk and her snowmen pajamas and smiled. No, she would have one. “Had you not come, we would have spent Christmas there.”

“Oh, I see.”

Her tone bordered on disappointment and he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. “I could get one if you’d like?”

“Would you?” Her happy tone was back and had a renewed enthusiasm in his ear. “Oh, that’d be so good of you. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without one.”

“Sure thing,” he said, smiling as Abby came into the office. “I need to get back to work but I’ll see you tonight.”

They said their goodbyes and, as soon as he ended the call, he watched Abby as she came around the to lean against the dark oak. “How would you feel about helping me get a Christmas tree after we leave today?”

She dropped a folder in the middle of his desk but he ignored it. “I could be persuaded,” she said crossing her arms. “Does dinner come with it?”

His smile broadened. “It does. And we can finish off that show if you’re up for it?”

She gave him a shrug. “I wouldn’t mind watching one of those cheesy Christmas movies.”

There was a glint in her eyes. She wanted to stay with him. It was a guess, but, he suspected, a good one. “Is that a yes?”

“As long as you don’t mind stopping by so I can change first? I’d rather not go tree shopping in the snow in three hundred dollar heels.”

He scoffed and let his eyes trail down her legs to her aforementioned shoes. “I don’t mind at all.”

She chuckled and shook her head before pushing herself away from his desk, mentioning they might want to get some work done before leaving his office.

After work, he drove them to Chelsea and escorted her inside her brownstone where he waited in her living room for her to change and grab another extra set of clothes. He had been right, she did have a tree. It was decorated in blues and golds, and there were presents around it for Clarke and her to open when the young girl got home.

She had been ready quicker than she thought she would be, and they drove to the closest tree lot near his apartment.

There were entirely too many choices he had decided when he walked up to the man selling them and told him he wanted a tree. The man had smiled at him and asked him which he preferred. He took one look at Abby who was looking away. He could have sworn she had been trying not to laugh at him.

“A green one,” he had said, and that was when her giggles started.

“Do you have any Fraser Fir’s?” Abby asked.

The man pointed behind them. “Right this way.”

Abby took his hand and they followed him a short way. Since he was clearly out of his depth, he told Abby to take her pick. She took a few minutes, inspecting each one and then finally made her choice. The man nodded and went off with the tree to get it prepared.

Marcus looked around trying to see which way Abby had gone, but as he started to walk off the way the man went, he felt a splat against the back of his coat. His brows rose, and he turned to see her standing behind him with the biggest smile he remembered seeing on her.

“Did you just-” he started to ask, then with widening eyes watched as she gathered more snow quickly in her hands before tossing another at him. The snowball hit him in the chest, flakes fell all over his shoulders and face.

“What are you going to do about it, Kane?” she taunted.

He brushed the snow off his shoulders, revealing nothing as a plan formed in his mind. ”I’ll show you what I’ll do.”

She laughed in time with his lunge and squealed as she ran from him. He chased her around and between the trees, attempting to corner her but, with his knee still hurting, he wasn’t as fast as he would have been. It was only thanks to her taking a wrong turn that had her trapped up against the side of a building and tractor, that allowed him to finally catch her.

He walked slowly towards her, snowball in hand as she had nowhere to go. “Marcus, no,” she said laughing and out of breath. “I’ll stop.”

He lowered the snowball but trusting her was his mistake. She used the moment to push his hand up so it hit him in the face. Her giggles doubled, as he backed her against the wall reaching for the biggest pieces still tucked between his jacket and shirt. “You play dirty, Griffin.”

“I’ll be good now, I swear.”

He shook his head. “You expect me to believe that? Not without some assurance you’ll behave yourself.”

She sounded more breathless than before. “I will. I promise.”

He was tempted to believe her but she bit her lip, and he just knew better. “See, that look in your eyes says otherwise.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, not sounding very sorry at all. “It was just your face. You looked so…”

He took another step towards her. There were only a few inches separating them now. “What?”

“Betrayed,” she said softly, her smile never wavering. “I’m sorry.”

He leaned in and watched as her eyes fluttered closed right before he placed a kiss to her cheek. “How sorry?” he whispered in her ear letting some of his weight press her into the wall then pressed another kiss to her jaw.

If her voice was breathless before it was nothing like it was now. It was so low he probably wouldn’t have heard it had his ear not been right by her mouth. “Very sorry.”

He drew away enough to gaze into her eyes right before he started to close the distance...

“Hey.” The tree salesman was back. “You still want this thing?”

“Yes, I do,” he told him, taking a step back from Abby. When he was gone, he took her hand and brought it up to his lips. “Come on, trouble. Let’s get this damn tree home.”

* * *

 

Later on that evening, after they all decorated the tree ( _after_ Marcus had run down to the nearest store for decorations), and after dinner had been eaten and cleaned up, Clarke had called her. Vera had gone to bed and Marcus had retreated out of the living room giving her some time to talk with her daughter.

While Abby missed her desperately, in a couple years Clarke would be going off to college and she knew this experience being away would be good for her. She was having the time of her life and knowing that made Abby happy.

She talked to her mother for a few minutes after that and assured her that she too was enjoying the time she had to herself (she’d tell her mother about Marcus when she was a bit more sure of where they were). They said their goodbyes, her mother promised to have Clarke call on Christmas and ended the call.

Abby sunk into Marcus’ soft couch watching the fire crackle when she heard his voice from beside her.  “Hey, is this seat taken?”

She smiled up at him, He was holding to steaming mugs making her wonder what he had made for them while she had been talking. “I wasn’t saving it for anyone else.” Wordlessly he handed her one of the drinks and she took it between her hands, enjoying the warmth it gave. “Thank you.”

“How’s Clarke?” he asked before taking a careful drink.

“Wonderful,” she told him with a wistful sigh. “Her grandmother is keeping her busy, and she made a friend so she’s enjoying herself.”

“That’s good.”

She hummed and took a sip. The warm eggnog was rich and satiny and had the ability to warm her in more ways than one. She raised a brow at him. “This is not just eggnog.”

He gave her an oh so guilty grin. “I may have added a touch of the good stuff.”

They stayed up for what felt like hours. Talking and reminiscing of past Christmases as children and teens in between sips. The gap between them somehow became smaller and smaller until she had one of her legs draped over his and their voices became whispers between them like they were sharing secrets instead of fond memories.

His hand settled on her knee at some point and soon it began to drift up and then back down. Her breath caught, but he was in the middle of a story and she wasn’t sure if he knew the effect his hand on her leg was having. She ignored the shiver that ran up her spine and just enjoyed the caress and the sound of his voice.

He looked at her thoughtfully before saying, “I think you’re going to enjoy Hawaii.”

She blinked at him. That was a change of subject. “You’ve been?”

He nodded, and lifted his arm, propping his elbow in the back of the couch letting his head fall into his hand. “Once, about five years ago on a cruise.”

She smiled. “I didn’t think Marcus Kane took time off.”

“I don’t usually but I was talked into this one.”

“With family?” she asked thinking they were probably the only people who would be able to talking him into getting away from work.

“No, with my fiancé.”

Oh. Not that she didn’t know he’d been engaged once. Raven had brought it up once, but she never pried into what happened and she hadn’t realized it hadn’t been that long ago. She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable if he didn’t want to talk about it, so she teased, “So you're not so afraid of commitment.”

He chuckled. “No, I’m not.”

“What happened?”

He took a breath and told her about it. How his fiancé had gone and booked them a three-week cruise two months before their wedding. How the first few days had gone alright but the more time they spent together, the more arguments they got into over little things and nothing. And all too soon, they were back to old habits. He spent more time in their cabin while she went for drinks. He finished with a sigh and sad smile. “Eventually I spent the last week working and she found someone else to spend the rest of the cruise with. I think his name was Evan, if I remember correctly. They got married about a month later.”

She felt a wash of sympathy for him. It explained why he didn’t date. “Ouch.”

“It was for the best really. As you well know, my company means a lot to me. It’s hard to find someone who’s willing to put up with a workaholic.”

“Oh I don’t know, we’ve managed  over a year now.”

The side of his mouth lifted, giving her one of his trademark crooked grins. “Well I’ve found the secret, haven't I? All I had to do was fall in love with the one person I couldn’t live without, she just happens to be my secretary.”

“Marcus, I-”

But whatever she would have said to him was interrupted by his lips over hers. She hummed a hum of surprise but melted into the kiss. Kissing was okay too. And they did for long tongue filled moments until he drew away from her.

“Abby, if this isn’t what you want, tell me now because I-”

She answered him by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him and he responded. Their mouths softened, and she gasped when his tongue licked across the seam of her lips, seeking entrance. He took advantage of the moment and deepened their kiss as her mouth softened, opened for him, her tongue sweeping in and meeting his eagerly.

There was a moan, his or hers, she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was she never wanted to stop kissing him. How had it taken them all this time to get here? All this time they’d been wasting when they could have been together doing _this_.

Her thoughts trailed away as he shifted, moved them so that they were now laying on the couch, her on her back and he settled above her. She wrapped her legs around his hips bringing his weight down on her without ever breaking their kiss.

Abby gasped when she felt him. He was oh so hard, and she was oh so very wet and when he moved, it was all incredible slippery friction that had her arching up into him and he broke their kiss with a pleasured heavy exhale, his forehead falling to her shoulder.

“God, Abby.”

“Marcus,” she breathed, and he lifted his head and captured her lips once again. They couldn’t keep this up. His mother was right down the hall and with how turned on she was, she didn’t think she could keep quiet.

“You have no idea how much I want you right now,” he told her, breaking their kiss to trail a row of kisses down her neck.

“I want you too,” she replied, unable to imagine how she couldn’t want him. “But we need to slow down.”

His lips stilled and he let out a breath. “Right, sorry.”

She clutched his shoulders and arched up making him groan because she didn’t want him to think she wasn’t as turned on as him. “Not that I don’t want to,” she said with a smile, lifting her head to kiss his lips, “but the first time we have sex cannot be with your mother here.”

“Oh?” he chuckled, moving against her just as affected by the rhythm they created as she. “Why’s that?”

She pressed her lips together as her belly tightened, already so embarrassingly close. “It’s been too long,” she said her voice boarding on a whine that turned into a gasp when he reached under her shirt and grasped her breast. “God, Marcus…” What had she been saying? He pinched her nipple and she had to bite back a moan. _Oh_ , that was it… “I don’t want to be quiet.”

He groaned softly and dropped his head to her chest. His hand moved away from her breast and squeezed her side and she had to resist the urge to grind into him some more. “Okay, you’re right, we need to stop.”

“We do.” It would be torture, but worth it when the time came.

At least, that’s what she told herself.


	9. Chapter 9

Marcus found that working together had its new perks.

Tuesday came and he didn’t spend his lunch alone at his desk but took her out with him. They sat close together in a warm restaurant watching the snow fall, eating sandwiches and hot soup while talking about work, and Clarke, and whatever else came to mind. And afterward, they walked hand in hand most of the way back but let go and stepped apart when they neared work.

They weren't trying to hide anything so much as they wanted to keep their new relationship for themselves. At least for a little while, as it was only a matter of time before people noticed. Before  _ Raven Reyes  _ noticed.

Not that they would be flaunting that they were now together, as Abby had all but insisted they would stay professional while at work. Still, he took the liberty of sneaking kisses behind closed doors and letting looks linger longer than they had before, much to her exasperation and his amusement. More than once, they found themselves alone where it would be so easy to reach out for the other. He was able to mostly control himself. 

One such occasion came earlier in the day when she came into his office with a purposeful look in her eye. He got to his feet meeting her in the middle of his office glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one had followed her. With his eyes back on her, he tugged on her waist and backed them to the right up against the table, asking softly, “Has everyone gone yet?”

It was the company’s last day, and he didn’t know why the hell everyone chose to hang around when they could all go. The sooner the better as far as he was concerned. 

She chuckled and he watched as her top teeth sank into her bottom lip right before she replied, “Not yet.”

He let out a low growl. “I could tell them all to leave.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “You could, but you won’t.”

“You know me too well,” he said his hands pulsing on her hips.

“I know I do,” she said and his eyes lowered when she held up a red envelope between them. 

His brows rose as he took it from her. “What’s this?”

“Your Christmas present.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” he said, but couldn’t help feeling touched she’d do something for him and wondered if she had gotten it for him before or after…  oh. “A ticket to The Met?” His eyes widened as he read the name of the show. He remembered talking about it. Mentioned it once or twice over the last couple of months and he had thought about going. Thought about asking her to go with him. “I’ve wanted to see this.”

She hummed, looked up at him knowingly with those warm expressive eyes. “And it’s right before we come back to work.”

But only one ticket. He held it towards her. “I don’t suppose you’d want to come with me?”

“I may be tempted,” she said her tone teasing but her smile bright and wanting. 

“Can you get another?”

The corners of her lips twitched. She was trying not to smile and it killed him. Made him want to kiss her and kiss her until they were breathless. “I can do it right now,” she said, taking it from him.

“Do because I’d much rather go with you.”

She raised a hand to his chest and gave him a playful shove back, moving away from him. He watched her go, no longer feeling guilty about enjoying the view. 

They continued to text one another, though, and with the newfound tension between them, it made some of their texts bolder than before.

_ Are you staying tonight? _

_ I could… but it’s not the weekend. Wouldn’t your mother like some time with you alone? _

_ The weekends we blamed on Clarke and she’s not home. And my mother would like nothing more than for us to walk through the door with a marriage license and all of your things.  _

_ Fair point. You just want to see how far our restraint can go. _

_ I’m perfectly capable of controlling myself.  _ His mind scoffed at his text. Thinking of her from the previous night, soft and warm beneath him. It took all of his strength to stop already so close to the point of no return. And it didn’t help when they’d gone to bed. Her wandering hands sent shivers down his spine and him achingly hard all over again.

And she called  _ him  _ a terrible influence.

_ Mmhmm. I’ll need to go home for more clothes. _

_ You should probably just bring extra to leave here until she leaves. _

_ Might be a good idea.  _

He smiled at her reply then closed his eyes as his mind wandered.  _ What kind of pajamas will you bring? Last time it was snowmen…  _

_ I was thinking of bringing something a little less cumbersome.  _

He swallowed. Typed,  _ Oh? _

_ Mmhmm. Since you’re perfectly capable of controlling yourself. ;) _

Jesus. 

He let his head fall back and groaned. 

She’d be the death of him.

* * *

 

If Abby had known that kissing,  _ no _ , making out with Marcus Kane was going to be as good as it was, she would have walked into his office, straddled his lap, and kissed him a hell of a lot sooner. 

And she told him that in a text to him. 

Which was how she found herself not five minutes later with Marcus in the supply closet, her back up against the wall, gasping while he planted a row of kisses down her jaw and neck after just having kissed her breathless. Thank God, she had worn her MAC lipstick stain that morning because he was insatiable. 

_ They  _ were insatiable. 

“As if we weren’t any more cliched, you just dragged me into the closet?” she told him, past caring whether or not they were behaving at work. Almost everyone had left. 

“I’m sorry but I realized I had gone almost four hours without kissing you.” His voice was a husky thing that shot desire through her. Made her want to take him back to her apartment before they went back to his so she could finally find out how his beard would feel in other places besides her neck. 

She lifted her arms to wrap around his shoulders, and teased, “A whole afternoon. That must be terrible for you.”

He pulled back to gaze at her. “Completely. The most terrible.”

God, did he always have to smile at her like that? It made her knees weak and a warmth burn deep in her belly. 

“Well are you going to do something-” She hadn’t even finished her sentence before his mouth was on hers and she kissed him back, moaning and joining eagerly, enjoying the way his hands felt on her back making their way up only to trail down her spine. When they broke apart, she placed her hands on his chest, and sighed. She smiled at how lust filled his eyes were, and asked, “Better?”

“A little,” he replied with a grin, and brushed her hair back from her shoulder, placing a kiss on her jaw and then another as she tipped her head back to the spot right behind her ear.  

“We should be getting ready to leave.”

“We should,” he agreed and kissed her softly.

She sighed against his lips. So they would leave a little late. Wouldn’t be the first time. 

Just then the door opened and they broke apart with a wet  _ smack  _ of lips. “Oh shit, sorry-” It was Raven. Of  _ course,  _ it was Raven. Once her initial shock wore off, her surprised look morphed into amused delight. “Oh, hey,” she said in a low drawn out approving tone while falling to her side to lean against the door jam, arm crossed. “Whatcha guys doing?” She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically and Abby smiled widely at how red Marcus went. Thankfully the young girl left after only another moment, with a final, “It’s about damn time.”

She turned to grab a new toner cartridge from a nearby crate and grinned at them before closing the door. 

They looked at one another, smiling and laughing and when he dropped his forehead to hers she reached up and cupped his face.

Thankfully after today, they would have the next week and a half to themselves where they could explore this newness between them before they had to go back to work. 


	10. Chapter 10

It really didn’t surprise Marcus how easily his and Abby’s relationship slid from professional to domestic. It could have been because of all the time they spent together, how close and comfortable they already were, but coming home with her, changing into more comfortable clothes and making dinner, was like they’d been doing it forever.

And though he was anxious to explore more intimate aspects of their relationship, he found himself enjoying just being with her, being able to talk openly to her and touch her, was more than enough.  Just like they were now. With her sitting against him watching _A Christmas Carol_ and before that, _It’s a Wonderful Life._

They’d just gotten to the part in the movie where George was about to jump into the river when his door buzzed. Abby looked up at him. His brow furrowed. He hardly ever had visitors, and he started to tell them both that but then his mother got to her feet.

“That’ll be Jared.”

Marcus got to his feet too. “Jared?”

What would his brother in law be doing here?

His mother made a face like she had conveniently forgotten to mention it.  “Didn’t I tell you he and your sister came into town for the night?” she said, looking between them. Marcus looked over at Abby and the slight shake of her head told him all he needed to know. “Jared's parents took the kids so we’re all going to go out for a show and dinner.” There was a smile in his mom’s voice when she added, “I’m sure you both wouldn’t mind some time alone together. Unless you’d like to join us?”

He pretended to think about it for all of two seconds. “I think we’ll pass.”

“But thank you for inviting us,” Abby said with a smile.

He went to the door to let Jared in and lingered in the hall while he waited for him to come up. Abby joined him with his mother, helping her with her coat.

At the knock on the door, he pulled it open, surprised to only see Jared. “Hey, Marcus.”

He embraced his brother-in-law in a one-armed hug. “Hey, where’s your worse half?”

Jared laughed. All too used to his and his sister’s animosity. “Down in the car that’s double-parked,” His tone held a slight cringe, but then looked over his shoulder and seeing Abby, said, “Oh, hello.”

Marcus stepped back, over to Abby’s side and introduced, “Abby this is my brother-in-law, Jared. Jared this is my girlfriend, Abby.”

Jared smiled widely and held out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Abby replied in kind right before his mother chose that moment to disappear back down the hall. They all watched her go. Marcus calling after her, “Mom?”

But she called back she would only be a moment and they all shared a laugh.

“How are the kids?” he asked.

“Good, with the sitter for the night. O’s better, but Aurora is still pretty tired. I think she’s more tired of the kids to be truthful.”

That didn’t surprise him.

His mother came in stopping him from commenting on it. “All set, sorry. I forget the children’s gifts.”

She and Jared made their way out the door and into the hall, Marcus calling after them, “Have a good time.”

“We will,” his mom replied with a little wave.

He closed the door and slid the bolt to the side. Turning to Abby, the realization that they were alone hit him like a ton of bricks. He swallowed before chuckling nervously, and said, “I don’t know why she calls them children. They’re teenagers now.”

Abby shrugged and stepped towards him. “She’s a grandma. They’ll always be kids to her.”

His heart thumped in his chest as she came near. “So… just us.”

A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. She took another step toward him and hummed, “Mmhm.”

He cleared his throat. “Did you want to finish watching the movie?”

“Do _you_ want to finish watching the movie?” she asked while running her hand up his chest.

“Not particularly,” he breathed and then, before he knew it, his lips were on hers, hot and urgent. Her hands made their way into his hair, and he moaned. He kneeled then and, running his hands down the back of her thighs, picked her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he pinned her up against the wall. She broke the kiss and giggled. He bumped the end of his nose playfully against hers. “Was there something you’d rather do?”

"I did have something in mind," Abby said, breathily.

Marcus grinned against her lips. "Oh?" God help him he would have taken her right there, but that wasn’t how he wanted their first time. Not with his bed right down the hall.

Abby hummed in the affirmative as she leaned in and bit his earlobe lightly then said, "Yes, but I'll have to show you."

Marcus swallowed. Longing and desire burning a fire low in his belly. "Please, do."

“Bedroom,” she mumbled against his lips wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She was impatient, and it made him smile.

Her wish was his command, and with their lips still locked, they stumbled through the hallway and living room to the bedroom beyond.

* * *

 Abby bit her lip to keep her smile tampered down as he placed her on her feet just inside his room,  but it was short lived when he took the hem of her shirt pulling the material up and up, and cold air hit her acutely, right before his hands glided up her sides cupping her breasts, lips descending down her neck and chest.

Her hands threaded through his hair, clutching him to her. “Marcus...”

With her eyes closed, she could not believe they were finally doing this. He took her nipple between his lips, and… _Oh, god_ , she thought.

Letting out a moan that sounded a lot like appreciation, Marcus continued his assault with his tongue, his hand caressing her other neglected breast. He licked and teased and nibbled until she was trembling.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and guided him back up, licked her tongue along his lips, and Marcus parted his mouth to allow her entrance. His hands trailed up over her back, finding the clasp of her bra unhooking it and dragging it down her arms while his fingers feathered behind making her shiver.

“You alright?” Marcus asked. Must have noticed the hitch in her breathing and the tremble of her fingers as she began to work the buttons of his shirt.

Her eyes met his. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Abby, if you’re not ready we can wait. We can go and finish the movie or just go to bed and talk until we cannot keep our eyes open. You mean more to me than I can tell you, and I don’t want to rush you.”

Abby looked up into his eyes and after a minute, swallowed. “I don’t want to wait. I’m just nervous.”

“That makes two of us,” he told her, as his hands came up to caress her bare arms.

Her mouth curled into a smile, and she turned them and guided him backward back towards his bedroom. Marcus raised his eyebrows.

“No, I’m sure we’ll get the hang of things again,” she mused with a smile, pushing him through the room until his legs hit the edge of the bed. In a swift movement, her hands were on his belt. Undoing his pants, she tugged them down and over his hips. He made quick work of his shirt, tossed it to the floor while she inched forward. Standing only inches apart, she bumped her nose against his. She then eased herself out of her leggings and underwear, watching the way his gaze took in every new inch of bare skin.

She gave him a playful push back against the bed and smiled when his gaze turned dark. She leaned forward and kissed his lips before pulling back, dropping her gaze to his cock. She licked her lips, and Marcus groaned. At the sound, her eyes met his, and she climbed on his lap, lowering herself onto his bent knees.

“I’m pretty sure we’ll be good at this,” he murmured.

“We have a lot of time to practice,” she replied. Marcus chuckled slyly and nodded. Caressing up her thighs, one hand made its way to the small of her back, holding her while the other one dipped down between her legs. She was wet, and he circled her clit, making her breath hitch and his name fall with a reverent sigh, from her lips.

She gripped his shoulders, her back arching into his touch as his fingers touched and teased, did everything she wanted them to. Her breathing sharpened. Abby knew she was close, but this wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted _him_. She was tired of waiting.

Sliding his hands up her sides, he took both breasts in his palms, cupping their weight and feeling their softness.

"Marcus, _please_. I just want you inside of me."

He moved swiftly, twisting them so she was now with her back on the mattress and him above her. Parting her legs with his hips, he gazed down at her, his dark eyes boring into hers with such an intensity that it stole the breath from her. She threaded her fingers into his hair and pulled him to her, locking her lips with his.

Holding her breath as she felt him press into her, slipping in gently, she groaned. A small growl left his lips, and with one thrust he filled her, pushing into that perfect spot that - _Oh_ _God_... She couldn’t think about anything, only feel as he moved slowly, _oh_ _so_ slowly, in and out. He wasn't huge but thick, and oh, he felt so amazing inside her, filling her so deliciously Abby could only bite back whimpers as he moved inside her. And _God_ she was gonna come.

Then suddenly Marcus stilled her, and his lips left hers. "Wait, do we need to..."

Abby looked up at him, knowing full well what he was talking about. Her fingers caressed the back of his neck, and his eyes gazed down into hers. She was very unlikely to get pregnant and besides, she was on the pill. A moment passed, a still communication of trust between them. She licked her lips. "It’s alright. I’m on the pill. Unless you want to?" Abby told him.

Instead of answering her with words, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

Slowly, he began to rock inside her once again, slow lazy strokes, giving her time to adjust to the feel of him. With his belly pressed to hers and her legs up against his sides, he set a slow in and out that had Abby whispering his name and her fingers tangling his hair, clutching and releasing in time with their rhythm.

Breaths mingling, brows together, her eyes look up into his and wondered how she got so lucky.

He groaned and bit his lower lip, pressing his forehead to her shoulder, quickened his pace.

_“Yes…”_ Her voice was tight in his ear as she whispered, “I’m going to come.”

He nodded and obeyed, must have been just as close as she. Her mouth dropped open as he hit that spot inside her over and over. Her legs wrapped around his waist, tightening around him, pulling him deeper inside her as he sharpened his thrusts, rapped against her, made her whimper, and cry out. Her jaw dropped open and God, she wasn’t going to take long at all.

“Come for me, Abby,” Marcus encouraged her, his hand slipping down between them to rub her clit.

His words and his fingers sent her over the edge. Eyes fluttering shut, Abby’s hands clutched his back as she came around him, breathless and trembling, arching her back while murmuring his name over and over. He only lasted a few more moments as the last of her climax dwindled. His hips thrusted into her a few more times before he stiffened and groaned her name as he released deep into her. He collapsed on her, bracing his weight on his forearms as he breathed into her neck. She tilted her head back, trying to catch her own breath. He trailed his lips along her jaw, moving up to her earlobe to affectionately nibble there.

After a moment he lifted his head and leaned back to look down into her eyes.  A look of soft affection was held there, and his lips tilted up into a small smile she couldn’t help but return. God, she loved him so much and she fought the urge to tell him so, her mind and her heart battling to wait for the right moment. With one last kiss, Marcus eased out of her and rolled them over onto their sides.

Her head against his shoulder, his hand threaded its way into her hair, before kissing the top of her head as they caught their breath.

“Told you we’d do alright,” he said still breathless.

She chuckled and shivered as his fingertips grazed up and down her spine and her head tilted up, her lips meeting his in a tender kiss. “More than alright, I’d say.”

They laid there for long moments until their eyes became heavy and Marcus pulled the blankets over them, kissing her one more time before they both fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

She woke to another dream. This one so vivid and so real she had tears on her cheeks and her heart in her throat. She eased out of his arms without waking him and dressed without thinking. All she could think was she had to get away. Had to clear her head from the images and the feeling of loss so suffocating, she could barely breathe.

Outside, the crisp cold air hit her like a bucket of cold water. She took lungfuls of air, and started walking and walking. She made it three blocks from her apartment when her phone rang.

His voice was soft but held a hint of concern. “Where are you?”

God, how did she explain? How could she tell him she’d been spooked by a dream that sent her running out the door?

“I needed some time, Marcus,” she tried began but paused feeling like an idiot. Her dream, leaving him, it all seemed so stupid now.

“Oh, I see,” he said, and she could hear the hurt in his tone. “Okay. Are you… are you coming back?”

She closed her eyes as tears fell from them. “Yes. I’m - I’m on my way.”

“Alright.”

“Marcus, I-” she broke off with a sob. What the hell was she doing? _Talk to him_ , her mind screamed as more tears filled her eyes. She could hear the despondency in his words. He was blaming himself. She’d done that to him by leaving.  

“Hey, Raven is on the other line, so I’m going to answer her. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Okay, but Marcus-”

“I’ll call you back.”

She whispered okay and then he was gone. She swallowed another sob back and turned back. Her footsteps quickening in the direction of the subway. It wouldn’t take as long to get back to him.

She was being ridiculous. Marcus wasn’t Jake. What happened before wasn’t going to happen again.  Even if somehow, someway she lost Marcus, she would rather have this time with him than never allow herself to love him.

Because that’s what this was.

She was so in love with him and she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

She made her way up the steps only two blocks from Marcus apartment when her phone rang. Thinking it would be him, she pulled it from her pocket quickly but frowned down at the name that was there. “Raven?”

“God, finally!” came the young girl’s annoyed voice. “Don’t you know how to reply to a text?”

Abby pulled her phone away from her ear seeing the text messages just now starting to appear. “I was on the subway. What’s wrong?”

She heard Raven groan. “The Baker account just changed their mind last minute and Kane is on his way and freaking out. He said you weren’t there so where the hell are you?”

“I needed something at home,” she lied, feeling only slightly guilty as it wasn’t really any of Raven’s business what she was doing. “Raven, what do you mean the Baker account just changed their mind? We finalized that account weeks ago, and it’s Christmas Eve.”

She heard Raven snort. “Yeah, I know, tell me about it. Wick and I were just about to break out the spiked eggnog. Abby, just get here.”

She took a deep breath and headed back to the subway. “Tell Marcus I’m on my way.”


	11. Chapter 11

Raven Reyes stood in the middle of his office, with her arms folded across her chest, glaring down at the new changes they’d spent the last several hours making. “It looks ridiculous, and honestly, it’s dumb as hell.”

Marcus sighed and rubbed his eyes. “While I agree, it’s not our call to make.” He caught Abby’s gaze across the room and looked abruptly away. “It’s late, we’ve all done what we can. I’ll send these over, and we’ll see what they say. Until then, thank you, everyone. Now go home and enjoy your Christmas.”

He watched them all file out and then took a set and sat back in his chair. Everyone had left, all except Abby who was leaning against the table, arms folded across her chest, studying him. She hadn’t said a word to him since she arrived. Truthfully, he was grateful she hadn’t. Having her so close and yet, feeling like she was far away had been difficult, to say the least. And with all that was going on, he didn’t think he could have handled it right if she had. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he asked, “Do I look as exhausted as I feel?”

“You definitely look tired,” she said softly, dropping her arms by her side and going over to him. 

He turned in his chair towards her. “Thanks for coming.”

He didn’t know what else to say. What she wanted. Why she left. All day his mind had been wondering what he could have done, replaying their night together, telling himself there must have been something he had said or done to frighten her away also trying to ignore that little voice in his head left over from Callie that whispered,  _ told you so _ .

She shrugged. “There wasn’t much for me to do.”

Her words brought a small smile to his face. “No, but I appreciate having you here. It makes times like this easier.”

And he meant it. Regardless of what happened between them, having her there, knowing he could count on her was more calming and reassuring than he could ever know. 

He looked up again at her soft sigh. “Marcus, I’m sorry.”

“I know-” he began. He had a feeling this was coming and he swallowed down the disappointment and ignored the heartache that started to tighten in the pit of his stomach.

“No, I don’t think you do so please, let me say this,” she said, interrupting him. He raised his eyes and nodded. “It wasn’t you, Marcus. I was just… scared.” Her head tipped down, her hair falling down over her shoulders from the motion. He hadn’t realized she started crying until he saw a tear slip down from her cheek. He resisted getting to his feet and going over to her, unsure if she’d even want his comfort. Her voice was soft, and just above a whisper when she explained, “After Jake died I had these dreams. A recurring dream about the crash. I had that dream a couple of nights ago, and then again last night. Jake was driving and then the crash happened, but this time when I come to, it isn’t Jake staring lifelessly at me.” She looked up then, and just as it dawned on him what she was saying she breathed, “It’s you. This morning when I woke up in your arms, I could see it. A real life with you. Being happy again and I wanted it so bad but then I closed my eyes and saw you in that horrible dream and I panicked.”

Oh, God. No wonder…

“Abby...”

With tears falling steadily down her cheeks now, she went on, “I didn’t mean to make you think you had done something. I just needed to get out and breathe.” He got to his feet, determined he would stop her from apologizing because there was nothing to apologize for. He cupped her face in his hands, and she stunned him by saying, “I lost one love, Marcus. I can’t go through that again.”

Floored and filled with renewed hope, he promised her, “Abby, I’m not going anywhere. You won’t lose me.”

She closed her eyes and leaned forward. He dropped his brow to hers, meeting her halfway. Her hands came up to clutch his forearms. “I know. I’m sorry I left. Can you forgive me for being a coward?”

He drew away and gazed at her. “You’re not a coward,” he told her, tucking a lock of hair ,that had fallen in her face, back behind her ear. “I would be lying if I said  I wasn't  nervous about us too. Callie and I didn’t work because I was always working, and while having you there will make that easier, there will still be times when I bring work home. I think about that a lot, and I worry it may be too much for you.”

“I can’t imagine that it will ever be but the way I feel about you, I know we can get through it.”

He felt as though his heart was in his throat when he asked, “How do you feel, Abby?”

“I love you, Marcus,” she whispered with no hesitation, just that. Love. And with those words, she rose on her toes and kissed him. They stood there in his quiet office as the snow fell out the windows over the city not caring for anything except this moment. With only inches separating them, she said, “If it’s alright with you I want to go back to your place and wake up with you on Christmas like we should have this morning.”

He quirked a brow. “Only Christmas?

She smiled coyly up at him. “And the day after that,” she said, leaning in to place a light kiss and then another and another to his lips. “Then maybe take you home with me every now and then.”

“I’d like that,” he replied then did something he’d been wanting to do since she came into the room and took her in his arms, hugging her to him. She, in turn, wrapped her arms around his middle and let out a deep sigh. Pressing a kiss to her hair, he drew away, and looking into her dark eyes murmured, “I love you too.”

* * *

 

Back at his apartment they found his mother in the living room reading by the fire. She looked up at them, smiling. “There you both are. Were you able to save the day?”

Abby looked over when Marcus who raised her hand that was in his and kissed the back. “We were.”

Vera nodded and closed her book. “I’m glad. I’ll say goodnight then.”

Vera stepped up her to her and hugged her tightly. “Goodnight, dear.”

“Goodnight, Vera.”

Marcus was next, and he leaned down, kissing her cheek then saying, “Goodnight, Mom.”

He let out a sigh when she was gone and Abby turned to him, done with the distance between them. With  her hands on his hips, she pulled him against her. He, in turn, wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes, letting her head fall on his chest, enjoying the comfort that came with being back in his arms. He was a good hugger and it’d been an emotionally exhausting day.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“I am,” she said, moving away to look up at him. She was, but there was something she wanted more than food. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather go to bed. I had a plan to wake you and after everything today…” She sighed and shook her head not wanting to dwell on all that had happened. “We can eat later if you don’t mind?"

His eyebrows rose along with the sides of his lips as she spoke. Amused to be sure. “I don’t have a problem waiting,” he said.

She giggled as he dove for her neck. “I didn’t think you would.”

They made love that night slowly so that the only sound that could be heard were hands sliding over skin and soft gasps swallowed by kisses. When they fell asleep, it was tangled together with whispered words of reassurance and promises that they would both be there when the other woke and every day from that point on.  


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnnnd here it is day 12! Merry Christmas Kabbyfam! Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and kudos along the way. This was a fun lil story to write. Kabby continue to be all I want to write about so don't be surprised if you find a part two of this little world posted later on down the line. Oh, and also, keep an eye out for a bonus chapter later tonight. ;)

They woke to Abby’s phone ringing at just after seven in the morning. He lied there with his eyes closed, smiling when Clarke asked what her mom was doing and Abby responded spending as much of her morning as she could in bed.

He was lulled back to sleep by the sound of her voice and then later woke with her hands and lips on his skin. “It’s Christmas,” she murmured.

He chuckled and ran his hand down her bare back. “That it is.”

“We should probably get up, shower, and have some coffee. Spend time with your mother.”

“I’m absolutely on board with this idea of showering.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face told him her heart wasn’t in it. “Why am I not surprised?”

“When does Clarke get home?”

Her eyes closed, her head dropping down to rest on his chest while he continued his light caress. “She comes home on the 3rd.”

“And my mother leaves the day after tomorrow,” he mused, thinking about all the time they had between. “A whole week I’ll get you to myself.”

She raised her head then. Her eyes were bright with mischievousness. “Oh, and what do you plan to _do_ with me?”

He bit his lip and pulled her on top of him. Not at all ashamed to show her the effect she and the idea of having her had on him. “Many, many things.”

She placed her hands on his chest and lifted herself to straddle his hips. With a sly smile, she rubbed herself along the length of him. “You really _are_ a terrible influence.”

* * *

After their tandem show because why not, they got dressed in comfortable clothes and joined his mother who had started breakfast for them all.  They ate their breakfast then took mugs full of coffee into the living room where Vera made them all sit so they could all open presents.

His mother loved the sweater Abby had bought for her at the park and was delighted when Marcus told her about the tickets for the Nutcracker which were waiting for her at home. Abby got a beautiful scarf and Marcus, a reindeer sweater that looked a lot like the one Vera had shown him for Octavia. Abby failed at holding back her laughter when Vera made him try it on, but he was a good sport despite his frown and made it a point to kiss it away.

She thought that had been the end of the gifts, but he reached under the tree towards the back and came out with a small white box with a robin blue bow. Her eyebrows rose and her heart skipped when he handed it to her. “You didn’t have to get me anything else for Christmas. _Our_ vacation is more than enough because you are going on vacation with me, Marcus Kane.”

He grinned. She hadn’t been sure when she brought up the idea in the early hours of the morning after waking and having sex again, that he’d be awake enough to agree. But he’d pulled her closer against him, as if he hadn’t already spooned her as close to him as she could get and said yes, right before falling asleep again. Leaning towards her, she met him halfway for a kiss. “I told you I would and I plan on it.”

Hummed happily against his lips then gave him one last peck before unwrapping the small box in her hand.

“Marcus,” she breathed, looking inside and seeing another box. A smaller one and no, he wouldn’t. She looked up into his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t look nervous or anxious like he probably would if it were that kind of present. Not that she would say, no. She was pretty damn sure she would say yes. It would be way too soon and spontaneous of them, but she loved him and he loved her and they would have figured it out. “Oh, Marcus, they’re beautiful.”  

They were platinum-set diamond earring with South Sea cultured pearls.

“Let me see, Abby. Aw, Marcus, they are.” His mother smiled and took a sip of her coffee. “Though I was hoping to see something other than earrings.”

Marcus snorted a laugh and scratched his cheek, looking anywhere but her. “All in good time, Mom.”

“They really are beautiful, thank you.” Abby smiled and drew towards him to meet him halfway in a kiss.

“Look at you both,” his mother’s voice came, “too shy to even peck one another on the cheek when I first arrived and now I can’t go anywhere without seeing you kissing.”

Abby smiled at her and then back at him. Thought about how everything started and how without his mother and all the little pushes that got them together. “It must have been the mistletoe.”


	13. Chapter 13

_ Almost one year later _

 

“Hey, I thought Raven and Harper dragged you out to lunch?”

Sealing her lips together, it was all she could do to keep her smile contained. With a grin, she tried to look innocent as she came around his desk. Marcus had watched her with a small smile, his brows rising the closer and closer she came.  “They were going to, but I had something come up and if you have a moment, I need you.”

“I have fifteen moments before this call and they’re all yours,” h e said with a soft chuckle.

“Good.” She took hold of his hand and led him across the room into his small private bathroom.    
  
“Where are we going?”  he asked sounding intrigued. She didn’t answer him though, instead, she pulled him inside and closed the door. “ Abby, what-” he began but trailed off as she began to undo his belt. A look of recognition dawned. “Oh, are you-?”   
  
Keeping her eyes locked on his, she walked them back towards the counter as she pushed his slacks and boxers down his hips.  Her smile was slow and seductive when she reached down and took him in her hand. His eyes darkened, and she watched him swallow thickly before she  side-stepped his question and replied,  “I need you, Marc-”

Before she could finish his name, he had knelt and she let out a squeal that turned into a laugh when he walked the four steps over to the counter and placed her carefully on top of it.

He pushed up her skirt and smiled a secret smile as he stepped between her legs and dipped his hand between her thighs releasing a groan when he found her bare. “Jesus, Abby. You’re not wearing any underwear.”   
  
“I took them off before I came to see you.”

Her hands rose, palms settling on his cheeks, bringing his lips down to hers in a kiss that set a fire low in her belly. They had already made love twice that morning, which may have been a lot for some, but for them, it was part of necessity as well as a want. As much as they had been working lately morning they’d come home so exhausted at night that mornings had been the only convenient time, and with all her hormone injections, she found herself frustrated with the regularity of it all, missing the spontaneity they’d been so good at in the beginning. Pairing that with Marcus’ own guilt, whenever they got a negative result, lately sex had been hard for both of them.

For right now though, she wanted to forget about how hard it had been, and focus on her handsome husband while he fucked her right there on his bathroom counter. 

He seemed to be of the same mindset because he was grasping her by the back of her knees and pulling her forward so she was sitting at the very edge. She licked her lips, and his eyes fell between their bodies and bracing her hands beside her, she raised her hips just a bit and in one fell swoop…  _ “Oh, thank God,” _ she thought, as he buried himself inside her. They both groaned in unison. Her hands gripped the counter while he hooked her legs around his forearms, beginning to move at a torturously slow in and out pace. The friction from the feel of him inside her sent her head falling back and her jaw dropping open.

“Fuck,”  he murmured, watching her through hooded eyes. “ Do you have any idea how sexy you are?”

“You make me feel it,” she told him right before she pressed her lips together, wanting to cry out from the way he was making her feel. He shifted the weight of one of her legs on his arm enough so that he could release the other and reach his hand down between her thighs, his thumb seeking and finding her clit rubbing over it in tight little circles, making her whimper.  
  
“Abby... you feel so good,” he rasped.

Her back arched as his movements sharpened, hitting that spot inside her that had her gasping and digging her nails into the hard countertop, saying his name breathily as her eyes closed. “Yeah?”    
  
“Oh yeah. I’m close already.”    
  
“Marcus...  _ oh, yes _ .” She nodded her head and reached up, undoing the buttons on her white button-up watching his eyes widen as her red lace bra was revealed drawing a deep groan from him.   
  
“God, Abby,”  he murmured  before lowering his head to kiss the swells of her breasts. It wasn’t long before her orgasm took her, and soon he lost himself too. His hips driving hard into her until he sagged against her, utterly undone. They were both breathless, still coming back from their climax when she felt his forehead rest against hers. “Holy shit, that was…”   
  
His head fell and as he pressed a kiss to her neck, Abby turned her head and kissed his temple. “I agree.” She closed her eyes and hummed softly. Her hum turned to a breathy sigh at the feel of his lips, soft and warm as they pressed onto her shoulder. 

But they couldn’t stay there and enjoy the moment long. He was going to miss his call if they stayed in the bathroom any longer.    
  
“You have a conference call in five minutes.”   
  
Marcus scoffed a laugh but took a step back from her. “Your lucky I can remember my own name after that.” He kissed her lips and then let out a growl, he  bumped his nose against hers. “I’ve never come so hard in my damn life. You’ll surely be pregnant with this one.”    
  
He helped her down off the counter and she frowned down at the creases in her skirt. She tried to make her voice sound as optimistic as his when she replied, “We’ll see.”   
  
“Hey, look at me.” He waited until her eyes rose to his then reached out and brushed his thumb against her cheekbone.  We’ll have a baby, Abby,” he assured her with so much conviction in his eyes it was hard not to believe him. And damn she really wanted to have this man’s child. “What was it you said? Hope is everything.”   
  
She couldn’t help the genuine smile that lifted her lips this time. “I did.” Her hand settled on his cheek. His stubble was prickly against her palm. “Go get ready. I’ll be right there to help you.”    
  
He gave her a look. “Darling, I think I can manage a phone call.” 

She chuckled and hummed, then kissed him before giving him a small push towards the door.

* * *

 

_ Six weeks later _

“Merry Christmas.”

Marcus looked up from where she sat a red box with a white ribbon in front of him. He blinked at it, then removed his reading glasses and looked up at his wife who sat down beside him. “Not that I’m not pleased, but it’s still only Christmas Eve.”

“True, but,” she started then paused, taking his laptop from his lap and closing it before setting it down on the bed beside them. “I want to give this one to you without an audience.”

He lifted a brow but smiled regardless. “I don’t have one for you in here.”

She smiled in a way he didn’t understand. “I wouldn't worry about that. This is kind of a present for me too.”

He chuckled wondering if she’d gone back and gotten herself the pajamas he saw in the Victoria Secret window that they saw the other day. The nightgown would have definitely fit in the box and benefited both of them.

He undid the bow and took off the lid, digging his fingers in between the paper that covered whatever it was the box held. His fingers hit something hard and thin and his brow furrowed as his hand closed around a small plastic… 

Marcus’ breath caught. His heart picking up its pace as he stared down at the small test. The word it held making tears fill his eyes. 

“Really?” he asked looking up.

A smile broke across Abby’s face her own eyes glistening with her own tears. “Really.”

“When did you take this?”

She took the box from his lap, and lifted herself onto her knees, moved to straddle his lap. “This morning.”

He placed the stick back in the package beside him then reached up and took her face in his hands. “You’ve known all morning and didn’t tell me?”

She gave a light shrug. “It wasn’t easy, but I had an empty box and I thought it’d be better telling you like this.”

“It’s almost better that you didn’t because I’d have told everyone.” He let out a breath and looked at her. She was having  _ his _ baby. “God, Abby, I love you.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders right before placing a light kiss to his lips. “I love you too.”

Her brow fell on his, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. After a minute, he said, “See what did I tell you. All we needed was a little hope.”

Her smile was big and bright as she leaned back. So much so that he couldn’t help but reach up and brush her hair away from her face and behind her ears. God, she was so beautiful. “That we did.”


End file.
